Virtual Worlds Forum

The convenience of being able to attend an important industry trade show, without the travel expense or time spent away from a busy business. That's the vision of Virtual 3D Marketing, a US firm which is creating a custom three-dimensional virtual business shows. V3DM is the marketing arm of Expo3D a California-based software developer, which launched its virtual business platform last fall. Services include interactive exhibit areas and 3-D products on display, online automation, and tech sessions and workshops. Participants in online seminars are greeted by an avatar and seated in a virtual seminar room, where they can listen to a presentation and interract using text chat or Voice over Internet Protocol. A "proximity chat" function allows the presenter avatar to hear other participants' conversations if he's close enough in the virtual conference room. The technology will be used for the Leonardo Energy technology show webcast next month. This is an event to highlight new technologies for generating and transmitting power which has not been able to do a trade show before because it could not find a way for companies to present their products sufficiently well until virtual worlds came to their rescue.