Do you want to get more out of your TV? How about watching a TV show where you can have a say on how a storyline should develop? The “text-the-storyline-you-want” concept being developed at Martlesham Health could change the way people all over the world watch TV in the coming years.

Researchers at BT’s research hub Adastral Park lead the technology development for an international project called ShapeShifted TV, which allows viewers to dictate the content and order of programs via text messages. The project is currently being worked on by 13 partners coming from eight different countries.

The technology allows viewers to text how they want the storyline should develop while watching the show.

In the “text-the-storyline-you-want” concept of TV programming, producers create a series of potential storylines and viewers will have the option to select via text message which one goes on air.

A test of “text-the-storyline-you-want” technology has already been made on a romantic comedy drama entitled Accidental Lovers, which was aired by a Finnish broadcaster at Christmas. A similar test was also done on news programs in Sweden.

While more footage has to be shot such as in the case of Accidental Lovers with 1,000 voiceovers, the program can be aired as many times the viewers wanted and in each time they can select the storyline they loved.

NM2 group, the team behind ShapeShifted TV, is currently looking for commercial partners. The project was conceived in September 2004 is due to finish in August.

The technology seems to have a great potential to succeed. It empowers viewers to choose what information they wanted to receive and the technology can be use for entertainment, educational and therapeutic purposes.

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Entry was posted on Friday, June 29th, 2007 at 3:48 pm under Uncategorized.

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