The first fully interactive 360-degree music video to be released on a CD single has been developed by an Irish multimedia company, Webmedia.

The technology puts the viewer in control of the camera by allowing them to zoom and rotate their view of the music video, converting what is normally a passive viewing experience into an interactive one.

The video was developed with Reverb Records, an Independent Irish record label and is included on Death on Disco, a new CD single by Irish band Ten Speed Racer.

Filmed using an i-video, the viewer is placed at the centre of the band, giving them the feeling of being immersed in the video and allowing them to create their own personal viewing experience.

Mr Nicky Morrogh, new media manager at Webmedia, said: "The entertainment industry has expressed the most interest to date but we feel this technology will revolutionise the way we view sporting events, how we choose travel destinations, how we interact with education and training and even how we view property."

The technology allows the user, simply by moving the cursor arrow on the screen from left to right and up or down, to change their view as the video plays, giving them the feeling of being part of the action.

The prospects for such technology are promising. Webmedia has worked with hotels, tourist bodies and property agencies to allow people to view, for example, the interior of a house, the view from a hotel's bar or the centre of a city interactively over the Internet.

The company is at the moment targeting the music industry, mainly in Britain, and said it had received a lot of interest from companies globally interested in adding an interactive dimension to their business.

The music video included on the CD single will work on a PC or MAC with Real Player 7 from Real Networks and will go on sale in Irish record stores from Friday next.