Viewing your first life from the third person

Not sure if *Avatar Machine (link removed, see update) is a joke or serious prototype, but it’s worth a quick look and smile at the least:

Avatar Machine is a system which replicates the aesthetics and visuals of third person gaming, allowing the user to view themselves as a virtual character in real space via a head mounted interface.

Could you imagine jogging past somebody outfitted in gear like this? It’s something that wouldn’t be at all out of the norm in Second Life, but in the real world, what’s the point? I mean would you really want to see yourself in the third person? Would you be able to resist the urge to reach for a mouse and right click on objects?

This can’t be serious.

Update 6/27/07 2:37am PST: The original domain/link marcowens.co.uk/avat.html is now pointing to a domain parking page, thus the link has been removed.