New TV habits

The television programme Ages of Avatar gives users the chance to explore a new media form - Inhabited Television.

Four virtual worlds are open on the web alongside a television programme , broadcast on the BSkyB network. Events in the worlds will be featured regularly on and many programmes will be extended by related

discussions, concerts, games and dramas in the four worlds.

Users can adopt an online character, or avatar, move through and interact with other characters in the four worlds, and converse through real-time text chat. The CD-Rom-to-web-to-TV project is part of research work by the University of Nottingham, BT's Advanced Communications Technology Centre and Illuminations Television. It has been partiallly funded through the eRENA consortium and the Esprit programme.

Details: www.tvchannel.co.uk/avatar