Self-reconfigurable Matrix-style camera array soon to be self-aware

We're pretty sure this camera setup won't be putting the Wachowski Brothers out of a job any time soon, but some folks at Carnegie Mellon slapped this Matrix-style rig together for a "mere" $22,000. The cameras are mounted on linear guides, making them self-reconfigurable, and each can shoot 640 x 480 video at 30 fps. Their purported aims are "Image-based rendering," creating 3D objects with little scene geometry info, but we're sure they're doing plenty of bullet time scenarios in their free time. Coming to a YouTube near you: Matrix Restitutions.

[Via MAKE]

[nxtiak @ Feb 14th 2008 11:05AM]

The Matrix style bullet-time was possible because the cameras went around the object, so that we can see 360 degree of the object.
This is only in front of the object, so... what's the point?

[paragraph @ Feb 14th 2008 11:08AM]

1) Engagdget needs to stop watching the sci-fi...

2) It could be put on a track and rotate around the object and have software to be self-aware of that allowing all of the video to flow right.

I might be betting one 1...

[Leerlaufprozess @ Feb 14th 2008 11:36AM]

"each can shoot 640 x 480 video at 30 fps" and "but we're sure they're doing plenty of bullet time scenarios in their free time" sort of sounds strange to me. And for the Matrix-style camera movements they would have to have cameras in a circle like nxtiak said because they need to have shots from 360 degree at exact (or nearly exact) the same moment.

[Telanis @ Feb 14th 2008 12:33PM]

paragraph: It would have to be moving so fast that the images would be motion blurred. A camera like that doesn't have the shutter speed to catch a bullet

[Wwhat @ Feb 14th 2008 1:02PM]

The whole setup makes no sense at all, as is said you could do better with much fewer (and better) cameras, or use one really good camera and some technology.
Basically this seems money thrown away, or money gotten in the hands of the local webcam retailer in a clever criminal way.
Of course it's hard to tell what it is actually for since the link is dead.

[Matt @ Feb 14th 2008 2:37PM]

30fps is just one camera, theoretically they could shoot at up to 1440fps with this rig, which would make bullet time possible. It would be crappy bullet time that would have to be pre-programmed, but still bullet time.

[pokey @ Feb 14th 2008 11:10AM]

Add a robot arm and a cake and it'd be perfect!

[Clint @ Feb 14th 2008 11:20AM]

The point to this is the multiple cameras can accuartely map in 3-D due to the number of cameras. It sounds like there is some advanced software here that can use the minute differences in camera angles to render 3-D.

[atrain @ Feb 14th 2008 11:32AM]

Yes, that could be done, though it would not the greatest solution. Usually, these algorithms find the distance the point of the object is away from the cameras. 2 or 3 cameras are all you'd ever need for this. If it had 2 cameras on one side, and another 2 cameras 90 degrees from the first set, it could map one face of the object using distance from the front + distance from the side, giving really accurate readings. But many low-res cameras are useless for this.

The cool thing about this project is the fact that it is self-reconfigurable.

[StrangeBum @ Feb 14th 2008 11:32AM]

If anything, it's more of a faux 2D/3D mashup. If all the cameras on on the same plane and are viewing the subject from the same distance albeit at slightly varying angles, they only have the ability to rotate it ever so slightly in each direction.

However, if they were to place the entire rig on a large circular track, using the same varying angles and film the subject while moving around it, then they could get some pretty amazing 3D images or videos.

[Evilengineer @ Feb 14th 2008 11:49AM]

This feat of engineering was a triumph. I've made note of it in my file!

[NovaLand @ Feb 14th 2008 11:57AM]

Your comment is too late. The portal-angle is already presented. Then you loose.

[Joseph @ Feb 14th 2008 12:18PM]

Get back to work. There is science to be done.

[Robert @ Feb 14th 2008 12:37PM]

This was a triumph.
I'm making a note here:
HUGE SUCCESS.

I'm not sure what the point of this is. It looks cool but the article tells me nothing and the orig. site is down.

[kevjohn @ Feb 14th 2008 12:30PM]

Next step: find some curvy coed willing to help with your 'technology experiments', have her disrobe, tell her to stand right here, fire these bad boys up, stream to the Enternet, become legend.

[sully @ Feb 14th 2008 12:49PM]

If only there were some sort of system that used two image sensors at slightly different angles to detect images. Perhaps these could somehow be engineered to fit into a human body someday in the middle of the face to get accurate real-time visual information around us.

Oh what a glorious day that will be.

[javjim @ Feb 14th 2008 1:37PM]

Yeah, Because they really shot at a real actor,

[Stanford @ Feb 14th 2008 2:28PM]

Only 5 years behind Stanford, yea baby!

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 14th 2008 11:36PM]

Whoa! [say it Keanu-style... c'mon y'know you want to...]