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In a recent metaverse-based interview, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, unveiled the cutting-edge Codec Avatars, providing a glimpse into the next-generation of photorealistic virtual representation.

While speaking with computer scientist and podcaster, Lex Fridman, both used the Meta Quest Pro VR headsets, enabling them to converse in a virtual domain with high-definition 3D avatars that closely resembled their actual selves.

The Codec Avatars, a project that Meta has been pioneering since 2019, leverages neural networks. This technology constructs a 3D model by utilizing more than 170 cameras. To achieve this, users must engage in the photogrammetry process, which entails capturing and interpreting photographic imagery to obtain details about real-world objects.

During the conversation, Fridman acknowledged that the 3D avatar perfectly reflected Zuckerberg’s facial nuances, a feat attributed to the application of machine learning techniques. However, the timeline for when Meta might introduce this advanced technology to the broader public remains uncertain.

This virtual rendezvous comes on the heels of Meta’s introduction of its third iteration of the Meta Quest headset. Touted as the “world’s first mass-market” device, the updated headset boasts a 30% improvement in visual clarity and a 40% enhancement in audio output compared to its predecessor, the Quest 2. The advanced features of the Meta Quest 3 include compatibility with the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform and dual displays (offering a 2064×2208 resolution for each eye), coupled with the Infinite Display optical stack.

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