Changing your reality has never been so easy – the only things you need are a laptop and a webcam. With new software, you can make any unpleasant things disappear from your view in real-time. As the researchers from the Ilmenau University of Technology, Germany, show in their video on YouTube (below), this not only works with still pictures, but also with live-filming. The basic principle of this new technique is to reduce the quality of the filmed material. The software then removes the unwanted object and returns the film to its original quality – all within 40milliseconds.
This technique could be useful for both consumers and industry. Individuals could use this application to plan the interior of their flat or flower-beds in their garden, but also to shoot home-videos without too much thought about the background. In industry this application could help with the construction of production lines or with the re-arrangement of storage buildings.
The film industry should also prick up its ears. Editing out unwanted elements from the background after filming takes a long time. This new way of getting rid of the stain on the floor or the dent in the car during the actual filming process could save the film crew a lot of time and money.
If you cannot wait to play with this software yourself, it may be coming to your smartphone soon. The researchers expect this application to be suitable for mobile phones within a few years, thanks to their rapidyl increasing computer power.
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