In October, Microsoft announced that its long-in-development Mesh technology was finally available to try out in its Teams meeting service via a public preview. Today, the company revealed that the Mesh 3D avatars and environments technology is now generally available for Teams users on the PC, and also for people who use the Meta Quest VR headsets. The Mesh experience will be added to the Meta Quest store starting tomorrow, January 25.
In a blog post, Microsoft stated that major companies such as Takeda, Accenture, bp, and Mercy Ships were already using the Mesh features in Teams to hold virtual meetings. For PC Teams users, all they have to do is click on the “immersive space (3D)” selection located in the View menu to launch the Mesh feature.
Teams users can customize and control a 3D avatar during the meeting, and interact with others during the online session in a number of different virtual environments, which Microsoft calls "immersive spaces." Microsoft says:
Mesh in Teams elevates engagement in Teams meetings with ready-made 3D immersive spaces crafted to suit your needs, whether it’s a team social gathering, brainstorming session, or a round-table discussion. Design an avatar to represent yourself and include everyone in the conversation. Host multiple, simultaneous small-group discussions with spatial audio, which enables productive side conversations during brainstorming, like in the physical world. This lessens the cognitive load and boosts the effectiveness of discussions.
In addition to the ready-made Mesh-based immersive spaces in Teams, companies can also make their own custom spaces with the Mesh toolkit. Those users can put in custom elements in previously made spaces like banners with the company logo, videos that promote a company's products and content, and more. They can also go deeper by using the toolkit to create all-new spaces. The toolkit is now available to access with a six-month free trial via a Microsoft 365 or Teams business plan.
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