You can download i3D, the iOS 3D head-tracking app, right now. It’s simple: the iPhone/iPad front camera locks onto your face so that the perspective shifts in a faux-3D manner as you head moves. But how good is it?
Well, it’s an interesting idea, even if it’s still rough around the edges. It recognises faces well enough, but once you get into the demos, it doesn’t seem have issues staying locked on to your head. Move too quickly or too far in any direction and the app becomes confused. Slow and subtle movements seem to work best, but the 3D effect isn’t fully experienced when doing this. I got it to work best when I set my iPad on a table and looked down at the camera.
Maybe it requires better hardware or a lens with a wider angle. Maybe it needs the right lighting and background to discern movements. Maybe it just needs some trial and error time on the software side. Either way, it doesn’t seem quite ready for primetime yet. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be excited about the idea, however. I want head-tracking games galore on my iPad. [iTunes]