Microsoft’s Photosynth, a 3D environmental creation tool, has recently become available to Windows Live users. It allows you to upload digital photos, anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred, and create a virtual space out of them – a space you can ‘move’ through in an almost video game-like way.
I’m imagining nonprofits building ’synths’ like a school in Tanzania, a disaster recovery area in the U.S. Gulf Coast or maybe a natural wildlife habitat that’s the subject of a preservation effort. Who knows? Imagine having the capability to take people ‘in’ spaces that they have previously only been able to experience in 2D!
In my mind, any space that you might want to take a potential advocate, volunteer or donor to but are not physically able to do so could be a candidate for a great synth.
I haven’t played with this tool yet, so can’t report on its usability, but here’s Josh Lowensohn of Webware’s post about Photosynth, as well as the instructional Photosynth video from Microsoft.
What else might you do with Photosynth? Could you use it to start a larger, more meaningful conversation? Would it be worth the time? Weigh in in the comments!
