Evaluation of a Floating-Head Communication Prototype for Video-Conferencing

Besides traditional 2D video communication approaches, new systems aim to create more realistic and immersive representations of the involved conversation partners. This work presents a real-time floating-head communication setup that enables spatially separated visualizations of remote participants using only a standard camera and display. The underlying reconstruction pipeline applies machine-learning-assisted facial feature extraction to infer a 3D mesh of the participant's head from a live 2D video stream. Texturing maintains visual fidelity while supporting real-time performance. A dedicated transmission pipeline enables the exchange of 3D and texture data over conventional network connections, allowing flexible and location-independent use. A first lab test with eight participant pairs was performed to evaluate the system during a collaborative communication task. Subjective assessments using established telepresence and quality questionnaires confirmed the technical feasibility of the approach and its potential to enhance the sense of spatial presence. However, the overall perceptual quality and comfort did not yet reach the level of classical 2 D video communication. The study demonstrates the promise of accessible, spatially expressive communication setups that may bridge the gap between conventional video calls and emerging volumetric telepresence systems.