Mark Zuckerberg unveils new lifelike avatars for the metaverse

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg conducted his first interview in the metaverse utilizing cutting-edge Codec Avatars technology.
Meta’s virtual reality (VR) platform seems to be advancing rapidly, as seen in a recent conversation between computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. During the interview, both individuals used Meta Quest Pro VR headsets to interact in a virtual environment, where they appeared as photorealistic 3D avatars.
Codec Avatars, a research project initiated by Meta in 2019, is driven by neural networks that create a detailed 3D model using an array of over 170 cameras. This means that users must still undergo a digitization process known as photogrammetry, which involves capturing, measuring, and interpreting physical objects through photographic images.
Fridman marveled at how accurately Zuckerberg’s 3D avatar mirrored his facial expressions, attributing this feat to the use of machine learning. It remains uncertain when or if Meta plans to make this level of technology widely available.
The interview took place shortly after Meta introduced its third generation Meta Quest headset. This new iteration, hailed as the “world’s first mass-market” device, boasts a 30% increase in visual resolution and 40% louder audio range compared to the Quest 2. Equipped with support for the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, the Meta Quest 3 features two displays with a resolution of 2064×2208 per eye, coupled with an Infinite Display optical stack.
In other news, Meta recently announced a new metaverse program in collaboration with several US universities. Additionally, a report has warned of “unprecedented” privacy threats posed by the metaverse.