A Web-Ready and 5G-Ready Volumetric Video Streaming Platform: A Platform Prototype and Empirical Study

Volumetric video represents a transformative advancement in multimedia, offering the ability to capture and render three-dimensional content for immersive and interactive experiences. As the demand for immersive web applications grows, the need for a robust platform to stream live volumetric video on the web becomes more critical. This paper presents a prototype designed to stream volumetric video over 5G networks using web technologies. The platform enables real-time transmission and rendering of volumetric video in point cloud format, compressed with the Draco codec, and streamed via WebSocket and HTTP/DASH protocols. We conducted an empirical study to evaluate the performance of these technologies under different network technologies, transport protocols and scenarios, including the experimental network testbed of a commercial network provider: TELENOR. This new evidence complements our previous empirical study that confirmed the readiness of current devices and browsers for web-based volumetric video streaming. The results highlight significant differences in device performance and offer valuable insights into the limitations and opportunities for the future of volumetric video streaming on the web. Moreover, we are publishing the dataset generated during our empirical evaluation as an additional contribution, as it can be used for further analysis, simulation and model training. Finally, the paper discusses the technical and practical considerations for deploying volumetric video applications, laying the foundation for further advancements in the field.