Here’s an exciting piece of news for tech enthusiasts. Huawei Technologies has filed a new patent with the number US20230351659A1, and it seeks to transform the way we engage with video calls. The patent, titled "VIDEO INTERACTION METHOD AND DEVICE", introduces a method to make video interactions more interactive and lively. This innovation is expected to be used on devices such as Huawei's Watch GT3.
In the modern digital age, video interaction has become an everyday event. But, one fundamental issue ruins the user experience — monotony in interactions. Current video call features are pretty straightforward, leaving little room for added fun or engagement. Further, the animation effects are limited to the peer video window, and nothing changes in the local video window for the user, making the interaction seem one-sided and monotonous.
To address these issues, Huawei’s patent introduces a special feature where wearable gadgets, such as watches or glasses, can control animations during the video call. Actions performed by the user will be reflected in the animations on the screen. Imagine making a fist, and your animation character does the same. This feature is bound to provide a game-like interactive experience, giving users a stronger sense of participation.
The magic happens when two users are on a call, and both of them witness the animation effects generated by their combined actions in real time. This feature will enrich the user experience by allowing users to directly interact through animations on their screens instead of solely relying on their live video feed. Each user will be capable of viewing not only their own animation effects but also the other user’s, thus ensuring a shared, immersive experience.
When this problem is solved and Huawei's new patented technology becomes a reality, we can expect a complete transformation of how people utilize video calls. You could be planning your next family game night over a video call where each action you perform is replicated by an animated character. Business meetings could become less drab and more interactive, keeping everyone engaged. Children could interact more with their friends by not just talking or waving, but by carrying out shared actions that result in engaging animated responses.
To put this into perspective, consider an example, a granddaughter wants to show her gradma a dance step she just learned. With the conventional video interactions, grandma will likely struggle to mimic the action from the small screen with a lot of back and forth. However, with this new feature, mimicking becomes fun as they both see animations of their actions on their screens, getting instant feedback, making it more like a dance-off game than a lesson.
Do keep in mind though, as exciting as this concept may sound, this is currently a patented technology. This means it is protected under patent laws but not necessarily that it will be released for public use. Whether and when Huawei decides to roll out this featured update on their devices remains to be seen.
At times, innovations like these make us realize how much we live in a time where the line between real and digital increasingly gets blurred. With the introduction of such interactive and user-friendly features, it's only a matter of time before we find more enjoyable ways to connect digitally.