Microsoft could make 3D Skype calls a reality with new meeting tech

A 3D telepresence technology that started life as a Microsoft research project may soon become an official product, a new job listing suggests. Microsoft has begun advertising for a new software development engineer who will be tasked with helping it develop hardware and software capable of offering holographic meetings for remote workers. The company says it is also looking to extend the technology to Skype, allowing consumers to enjoy “high-definition communication” in its voice and video calling software.

While 3D telepresence solutions aren’t new — Cisco and Sony both offer enterprise solutions — Microsoft’s job listing suggests it is looking to develop its Viewport research project into a viable product. Unveiled in April 2012, Viewport utilizes color and infrared cameras and projectors to construct a 3D hologram of a remote user to enable face-to-face meetings. There’s no word on when Microsoft expects the 3D meeting platform to reach the market, but it believes it will “revolutionize communications and touch millions of customers around the world.”