No more shaky videos! Microsoft software turns first-person movies into sleek 'hyperlapse' footage


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From ski slopes to bike trails, tiny cameras such as GoPro, seem to be everywhere.

But far from showing an exhilarating experience, their shaky footage can sometimes prove to be nauseating.

Now computer scientists believe they have come up with a solution: a 'hyperlapse' that provide a smooth ride through the landscape no matter how jerky the original footage.

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A trio of computer scientists believe they have come up with a solution to make GoPro videos less shaky: a 'hyperlapse' that provide a smooth ride through the landscape no matter how jerky the original video

A trio of computer scientists believe they have come up with a solution to make GoPro videos less shaky: a 'hyperlapse' that provide a smooth ride through the landscape no matter how jerky the original video

The technology is the brainchild of Microsoft Research's Johannes Kopf, Michael Cohen, and Richard Szeliski.

Their software creates a 3D map of the original footage, and then recreates the shots on what they describe as a 'novel camera path'.

This novel camera path is found by analysing each frame of the video for ones that link together smoothly.

 

The algorithm then connects these 'smooth points' and generates a time-lapsed video within those frames.

The software creates a 3D map of the original footage shot on the video. Next, it analyses each frame of the video for ones that link together smoothly. It then connects these 'smooth points' together, and generates a time-lapsed video within those frame

The software creates a 3D map of the original footage shot on the video. Next, it analyses each frame of the video for ones that link together smoothly. It then connects these 'smooth points' together, and generates a time-lapsed video within those frame

The result is a smooth, jerk-free video that doesn't make you want to vomit.  

The Washington-based team have released two videos to show exactly how it works, with raw footage played alongside the time lapsed version. 

The project is due to be part of SIGGRAPH 2014, a Vancouver conference later this month held to showcase computer graphics techniques.

The system is currently a research project and there are no existing plans to commercialise the software.

The group is also working on making the Hyperlapse algorithm work as a Windows app, but they said it will likely be some time until that happens.

TECHNOLOGY LETS YOU TURN YOUR ENTIRE ROOM INTO A SCREEN

If you've ever wanted to recreate a cinema in your living room, or turn your bedroom into a karaoke bar, Microsoft has the answer.

Its SurroundWeb prototype beams screens from a computer on to the walls of a room, including browser tabs, maps, documents, videos and photos.

The system uses small projectors and sensors to scan the layout of a room, including furniture, objects and people, to make sure the web pages aren't distorted.

It also uses a Kinect camera to map mouse clicks to hand gestures.

This means users can hold their hand over the position of a link on the wall and if they mimic pushing it, the SurroundWeb system recognises it as mouse click.

Examples given by Microsoft Research include videos being projected from a PC onto a large wall, karaoke lyrics displayed above a music video playing on a TV screen, or a photo of a window being used in place of a wall. 

 

 



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