Inauguration: CNN sets out to capture 3-D image of Obama’s swearing-in

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After introducing holograms to election coverage (well, tomograms, at least), CNN has a new technological trick up its sleeve for Tuesday’s presidential inauguration.

The cable news channel is partnering with Microsoft to create a massive three-dimensional photo of the National Mall at the moment that Barack Obama is sworn into office.

Using technology called Photosynth, the network will take photos submitted by viewers and stitch them together into one giant image. Within an hour or two, the program will assemble hundreds (or thousands) of pictures taken on both cellphones and cameras. The result will be televised on CNN and be displayed on CNN.com, where viewers will be able to explore the image and look at it from different vantage points.

“It will be a way to be at the inauguration in a way you could only be if you were a hummingbird flying over the Capitol,” said David Bohrman, CNN’s Washington bureau chief. “We will create a 3-D environment of the whole Mall that you can dive into. This will be this real user-generated moment of history.”

Participants can email their photos to themoment@cnn.com.

-- Matea Gold