Microsoft algorithm uses six-axis motion sensors to fix blurry snapshots, inadvertently pimping your ride

Trying to snap a shot of your cherry red Mazda, but can't keep your hands still? You'll find all the tech you need to smooth things out in an iPhone 4 or (MotionPlus-equipped) Nintendo Wiimote. Experimenting with 6DOF inertial measurement sensor packages, scientists at Microsoft Research have developed a software algorithm that literally records your exposure-destroying shake via accelerometer and gyroscope, then magically removes the blur by canceling it out. While the technique still isn't perfect -- spot ghostly line above some of those background cars -- the Microsoft researchers compared their results to other in-progress algorithms, and we think you'll agree this new solution presents the best results by far. It's a shame Microsoft doesn't say when we'll see the tech in a spiffy DSLR attachment, or better yet a cameraphone. See before and after animated GIFs after the break, and find high-res comparison images and much more at our source link.

[darkninja962 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:00PM]

Finally, we'll be able to get some decent pictures of Big Foot.

[Wolfticket Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:01PM]

They should just embed the data in the exif and let Adobe do the work for them.

[Abraham Lincoln Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:04PM]

Microsoft:
Dear Sir,

Please fix my portrait.
http://is.gd/dYCtR

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln

[maltocs Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:04PM]

they just need to make better low light sensors for phones!

[nowayout Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:04PM]

this is what they should have done in iphone 4. pretty obvious solution if you ask me.

[andyroo77 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:04PM]

Nice, want.

[zevobh Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:09PM]

mmm, mr blurry cam is out of focus, not just blurry...

[tikigawd Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:12PM]

Those animated pics are tripping me out

[cool8man Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:16PM]

I need this on my phone very badly. I would say at least 25-30% of the pictures I take get ruined by blur.

[Oflife Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:24PM]

That is a 3D version of averaging. Cool. (I used to work in image processing.)

[Timmmmmm Posted Aug 3rd 2010 6:57AM]

@Oflife

Actually it's the opposite - kind of 'un-averaging'. It's called deconvolution.

[smp Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:25PM]

People still put bras on their cars?

[GSGeek Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:28PM]

Cool stuff - makes me wonder how current image stabilizers work in digital cameras.
I guess that will make its way into machine vision where motion-induced blurs are more predictable with machines than humans.

[Michael T Posted Aug 2nd 2010 2:40PM]

@GSGeek

I believe that in SLRs with the image stabilization in the body itself, the actual sensor moves in the opposite direction as the shake, which hopefully neutralizes any blurriness. For lenses that have VR, the same thing is applied.

[Kryptyx Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:30PM]

Nice, now I'll be able to take clear pictures using my Samsung Vibrant of my Mazda RX8.

[psycros Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:34PM]

Mr. Blurrycam gives two thumbs down. He's an artist, technology just gets in his way.

[InnocentEd Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:46PM]

Seems artificial....More than "fixing" a blurry shot I assume this takes the photo and assumes what it should look like when not blurry and outputs that image?

Thing is I can't imagine a system that takes a blurry photo and somehow creates details that were never captured in the first place. I suppose this would work for tiny 4x6 prints and your facebook profile but anything with a decent resolution I feel is gonna just look like it has harder lines...not more detail

If they figured out how to ADD detail after a photo is taken though...that would be something

[greyseal Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:55PM]

@InnocentEd

A photo that is blurry because the lens was out of focus cannot be fixed -- the detail is lost (because the sensor never had it to begin with).

But if the picture was in proper focus, and the only problem is movement of the camera, then it seems reasonable that some algorithm can be applied to reverse the artifact. I'm sure it's imperfect, but it's not necessarily inventing any detail.

[InnocentEd Posted Aug 2nd 2010 2:10PM]

@greyseal I suppose that is true, but technically when you get a blur like that even if the lens is set to the proper focal length you are essentially un-focusing the shot by moving so that senor can't pick up the detail.

Anywho, I guess it's better than a blurry show :)

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Aug 2nd 2010 2:10PM]

Dear RX-8 owner,

1985 called, and they want their front-end paint protection fad back.

[Vincent180 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 2:54PM]

Why didn't sony think of this! LOL

[HPe Posted Aug 2nd 2010 6:30PM]

@Vincent180

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/technology/technology/theme/alpha_01.html

I actually think they did, quite a while ago. Just like any other camera manufacturer with a bit of self respect.

[pika2000 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 3:10PM]

Some iPhone app claims that they use the accelerometer as a stabilization. Obviously a gyroscope would help more. Anybody knows if Apple has this tech in the iPhone 4 camera app?

[HPe Posted Aug 2nd 2010 6:34PM]

@pika2000 I actually suspect Samsung use the Gyro in the Galaxy S for stabilization. The quality of night mode pictures on the Galaxy S are unusually good.

[kenny goo Posted Aug 2nd 2010 4:00PM]

Can we make this a WP7 API now?

[maztec Posted Aug 2nd 2010 4:09PM]

I really don't see why you can't record the incoming exposure over time, measure the movements, and then crop to the common center for the final image.

[HPe Posted Aug 2nd 2010 6:37PM]

@maztec That's called digital stabilization. It "works", just not good, because it takes to much processing power I guess. Also, a computer is really not intelligent enough to see 100% how to join pictures properly. A gyroscope is a much smarter solution.

[maztec Posted Aug 2nd 2010 7:31PM]

@HPe : Thanks for the info! However, I do not see why the two cannot be combined for greater accuracy...

The method detailed here is using the gyro information to correct blur after the fact. Whereas, digital stabilization + gyro would let the algorithm track center, and correct.

[HPe Posted Aug 3rd 2010 11:21AM]

@maztec I think everyone want away from digital stabilization. It's the function used in mobiles and cheap digital cameras today. And it doens't work, simply because the software isn't intelligent enough to determine what's moving in the picture and what static.

[amirrafie Posted Aug 2nd 2010 4:20PM]

@Engadget: Galaxy S can do it too , please add it to your article...

http://android.hdblog.it/2010/07/20/galaxy-s-sensore-di-movimento-a-6-assi-facciamo-chiarezza/

or

http://www.handheldusers.com/forum/t7232.html

[Very Powerfull Codfish Posted Aug 2nd 2010 4:28PM]

I WANT THIS NA0. Google Googles is hopeless, and this feature on a phone would help! Is Google Goggles out on anything but Android yet btw?

[affan Posted Aug 2nd 2010 5:22PM]

I wonder if this will work for webcams too! That would be so cool. To break down the amount of noise while shaking. I guess that would make the picture all laggy then :-( nvm.

[HPe Posted Aug 2nd 2010 6:41PM]

@affan of course it'll get laggy. The picture is blurry because the exposure time is extended, i.e. fewer frames possible per second.

[Michael J Fox Posted Aug 2nd 2010 5:22PM]

Finally!

[SuprXY Posted Aug 2nd 2010 5:31PM]

Apparently this technology has been around since 1998. Because no one has put a bra on a car since then right?