Motion Capture Means Advances in Entertainment and Health
Motion capture is not new to film, nor is it any longer a particularly difficult thing to do. Simply put, motion capture (mocap or mo-cap for short), is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. This has applications beyond filmmaking including many fields such as sports, government, military, medical, and robotics. Its main use to date, however, had been in the enhancement of films using computer technology to either add realism or place elements it would not be safe, practical, or financially advantageous to do otherwise. While referred to as motion tracking when used for other purposes, in filmmaking and games this process more commonly refers to “match moving.” This is a cinematic technique allowing for the insertion of computer graphics into live-action footage and takes more skill to do so with the correct position, scale, orientation, and motion. This means that, at its most advanced, only high budget films can achieve truly professional results and must rely on professional cinematographers as well as a huge staff of animators. It can take a lot of money and a great deal of skill to get the cleanest, most realistic results as well as to insert computerized elements into a film that are all perfect relative to all of the objects or actors in the shot. This does not mean that others cannot use it effectively, though that has been the case in years past. Now, with advancements in tech bringing the necessary software to utilize motion capture to users commercially on a much larger scale, it is possible for more and more less professional videographers to use without needing the money or professional expertise formerly needed. Not only that, but evolving tech makes it much easier and faster to use to a smaller extent. Read more »
Photography has existed for over 150 years, and photography has been a hobby everyone could enjoy for around 100. The term “computational photography,” (also called “computational imaging”) of course, is a much more modern term that goes far beyond what traditional photography has to offer. Its purpose is to overcome the limitations of traditional photography using tech. It utilizes the newest developments in photographic technology to improve everything from optics and sensors to composition, style, and more. Its intent is simply to improve the way photographers process, manipulate, and interact with arguably the most simple and basic form of visual media available to us today. While some still prefer the raw nature of traditionally taken photos, computational photography is a means of which everyone can take advantage to improve the quality of the photos they take. This means it has application for those who do not know the technical aspects of photography as well as for professionals, and especially in the professional realm. It provides obvious advantages in business, web design, presentation, the legal field, medicine, and much more. While as a hobby it may have its detractors, there is no denying the benefit it could provide when the quality of clarity what one can see in an image can make a very important determination. 
Since built-in phone cameras have so vastly improved with each new smartphone upgrade, most people simply use their phones as their default, and often only, camera. It used to be that this was true only of casual photographers or people who wanted little more than selfies, candid shots, and photos of friends and family. It is becoming increasingly true, though, even in the field of professional photography, as smartphone camera technology evolves to the point that it can even rival DSLR quality in many top of the line models. Mobile photography has increased in popularity because of its ease and the lack of bulky equipment, particularly given the fact that nearly everyone has a smartphone on his or her person at all times. Though it is better than ever before, smartphone photography could still improve, and that is where Moment’s Version 2 full lens suite comes in. 
Polaroid has historically been one of the most popular consumer electronics companies in the world, best known for its line of instant film and cameras. Many people might be surprised to learn that Polaroid is still producing instant cameras. They could be justified in their surprise given that it seems like an analog product in a digital age. Some of the unawareness may result from the fact that Polaroid declared bankruptcy not once but twice in attempting to keep its product line relevant in the face of rapidly improving photography and mobile tech. Polaroid, having rebranded once as Impossible Project and now once again as Polaroid Originals, has now gained back some of the market by rereleasing newer, improved versions of their cameras. They have also convinced people that, even in an age in which any device you carry on your person can take and store a large number of photos at any time, there is a benefit to having a physical photo to claim and own. It has done so with the new OneStep 2, an instant camera that improves on original models with some modern touches. 
Stock photos are an easy and free means of finding an appropriate photo online to attach to a blog, Facebook post, or webpage, among a wide range of uses. Unfortunately, these stock photos are easy to identify as such, very obviously staged, and may only vaguely convey what you are communicating. Twenty20 is a startup that looks to change this through crowdsourcing. It offers what its creators call “the world’s largest crowdsourced image catalog.” Along with solving the stock image issue for users, it provides an opportunity for anyone to upload photos and potentially make money on them. It provides the added benefit that the photos people can find on the Twenty20 website are much more creative and interesting than the ones typically found on similar websites or through a random image search. People who are seeking photos that they can legally add to their blogs can get a subscription at Twenty20 to purchase some at a lower cost than hiring a photographer, while photographers can display their smartphone photos to big brands and marketing agencies. 
While there are plenty of photography sites and communities, the ability to share on social media, and places to participate in photo contests, there are not many online services that combine all these things. Enter Pixoto, a startup offering an online community for photographers to compete for the best images in their category. It delivers more than other image sharing sites like Flickr, adding an element of gamification to the sharing. While some of these sites may feature contests, it can be complicated and take a long time to figure out, while Pixoto is extremely simple. Eventually, the best photos can even begin to make money, and there is an option for the best photographers to sell their photos.