Indian researchers create technology for taking 3D pictures on smartphones

Indian researchers have managed to create a new smartphone technology that allows you to take 3D pictures on your phone. The researchers – Kshitij Marwah and Ramesh Raskar from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – have created technology that can provide developers a way to integrate features usually found in DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras into smartphones.

According to the Economic Times, Marwah, currently in Bangalore to introduce the technology to the R&D (research and development) heads of smartphone makers, says: "We have developed a new camera design called Light Field Camera technology that can be fitted inside a cellphone camera to capture the bundle of light rays coming from the scene, giving users the ability to capture single-shot 3D photos."

Imagine taking 3D Pictures on your smartphone

The practical uses of having the capability of taking 3D pictures using nothing more than a smartphone are many. Instead of boring pictures, you'll be able to see people showing off entire "scenes". Also, the DSLR features that could be used on smartphones will give users many ways to edit their pictures and give them a more professional look. Also useful will be the ability to change the point of focus of the picture after having taken the picture.

Recently, Samsung had managed to do the opposite of this by revealing a camera that is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which is generally an operating system used by smartphones and tablets. The Galaxy Camera was announced at IFA 2012. Samsung claims that the Galaxy Camera combines high performance photography with the latest Android v4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system and wireless network connectivity, thereby creating a new type of device.

Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content at Google, congratulated the Samsung team on the occasion of the launch and said, “When we first started work on Android, we envisioned building a smart camera that would take digital photography to the next level. The Galaxy Camera is an innovative product that speaks to the openness and flexibility of the Android platform."

Samsung claims that users of the camera will not need to sacrifice picture quality in order to edit and share their photos instantly, as it easily outperforms any smartphone camera. This model features a 21x zoom lens and a bright 16M BSI CMOS sensor. The device also features ‘Smart Pro’ technology, which is a series of modes that make professional-looking photography easy.

The Galaxy Camera runs on the latest version of the Android OS. Wireless connectivity enables the device to load applications for photo-editing, sharing and much more. Users will experience all of Galaxy Camera’s features on a HD Super Clear LCD display.

The Galaxy Camera’s 21x optical zoom can be controlled by either the physical button or through the touchscreen, while the optical image stabiliser ensures that images stay clear. The camera’s 16 megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor captures images in good colour and resolution, while the 23mm aperture lens delivers wide-angle shots.

There is no word on the pricing or availability of the Galaxy Camera yet. As Samsung has just announced the device, we expect the model to be launched in the near future.