FlyAbout: spatially indexed panoramic video

We describe a system called FlyAbout which uses spatially indexed panoramic video for virtual reality applications. Panoramic video is captured by moving a 360@deg camera along continuous paths. Users can interactively replay the video with the ability to view any interesting object or choose a particular direction. Spatially indexed video gives the ability to travel along paths or roads with a map-like interface. At junctions, or intersection points, users can chose which path to follow as well as which direction to look, allowing interaction not available with conventional video. Combining the spatial index with a spatial databsdde of maps or objects allows users to navigate to specific locations or interactively inspect particular objects.