Hasta La Gadget!

I’ve always wondered exactly how modern concept cars are actually designed. In years past, artists went to work with clay and molded the shape of a car by hand. I assumed that most of this process was now done with computers. Apparently, a mix of the two is more accurate for modern concept cars like the Cadillac Elmiraj.

GM has announced that 3D scanning was a big part of the design process for the car. GM used a 3D scanning process that projected light patterns and used an advanced camera to capture 3D shapes and turn those shapes into mathematical data. That mathematical data was then used to create a 3D rendering.

Once those math-based models were achieved, the hand modeling in clay and computer milling took over. Changes made to the mathematical model for the concept were applied to the clay model using computer controlled milling. This process allows GM to move from a scale model to a full size model in about a week.

“With the Elmiraj, we were able to use 3-D scanning as the bridge between traditional hand-sculpting teams who work in clay and digital modeling design teams who work in math,” said Frank Saucedo, director of General Motors’ North Hollywood Advanced Design Studio. “Our ability to scan the clay model with speed and precision and go from the digital tools to the hands of a craftsman and vice versa was extremely valuable.”

Taking panoramic photos using only your own hands can be problematic, as it’s tricky to keep steady and to turn around at just the right speed. That’s why RadiantModo Studio decided to make an accessory that will allow you to take perfect panoramas every single time.

The PanoPal helps smartphone users take quality panoramic shots, thanks to its motorized rotating stand and a remote control. It will work with iPhones and Android phones.

The device can be used for five hours before needing a recharge, and has a handy tripod mount or can be set on a flat surface. It’s definitely something to add to your mobile photo arsenal if you’re into panoramic photos.

PanoPal is being funded via a Kickstarter project. You’ll have to pledge at least $35(USD) to get yours.

I’ve always found it curious that the entire city of Venice, Italy is built on the water. The way to get around much of the city is by boat, and the main thoroughfares are canals between different buildings and walkways. As close as I’ve ever gotten to exploring Venice, Italy is watching James Bond chase bad guys around the city.

If you want to explore Venice, but can’t afford the airfare, Google has announced that its Street View imagery is now available for all of the canals and walkways of Venice. To grab the Street View imagery, Google workers used their Trekker Backpack and covered 265 miles on foot and 114 miles by boat.

Google says that it covered all the major attractions in Venice and also covered some of the lesser-known features including the synagogue of the first Jewish Ghetto and the Devil’s Bridge on Torcello Island. Google has even offered up a behind-the-scenes video showing how it captured some of its Street New footage in Venice. This is way cooler than those Street View images of CERN and the Large Hadron Collider.

[via Laughing Squid]

Have you ever wanted to shoot the sort of 360-degree panoramic images found in Google’s Street View? While there have been numerous attempts to create add-on lenses to capture spherical images, this upcoming gizmo looks like it could be the best solution yet.

The Bublcam is a portable device that uses four cameras to capture a true 360-degree spherical image of your world. Each camera overlaps the field of view of the other cameras, and then its companion app stitches images together to create one contiguous picture.

Still image resolution for the Bublcam is 14 megapixels, and it can also capture HD video at 720p 30fps or 1080 15fps. Another cool feature of the Bublcam is that it’s got onboard Wi-Fi, so it can stream its 360-degree video in real time. You can also store your images and video on SD card or stream via its USB connection.

If you’re interested in checking out some example 360-degree video content from the Bubl prototype, you can find some samples here, here and here. While the prototype videos are far from perfect, they’re still an impressive demo of the potential of Bubl’s technology.

Bublcam is currently raising funds for production on Kickstarter, and has already surpassed its $100,000 (CAD) goal. A pledge of at least $449 (CAD) (~$430 USD) will get you in on the 360-degree action.

The concept of the Phantom 2 Vision is not one of complete novelty. I will admit that. The Phantom 2 Vision by DJI, however, has something that the other quadricopter cameras do not: solid execution. (And great mobile integration.)

This RC copter will allow you to get the perfect bird’s-eye view photos, skyline images, and more! Plus, for those of us who just think that autonomous flying objects are cool, the “Return to Home” feature promises an awesome experience, as well as a safe landing at the takeoff spot.

Stream HD video to your mobile device, which can be mounted on the Phantom 2 Vision’s controller, and use that camera feed to steer the drone and take pictures and video! It comes with its very own 14 megapixel camera, which can record 1080/30p or 1080/60i video.

What’s the range on this baby? Well, you can stream video from up to 980 feet away, which is awesome, and I don’t think you’d want to fly your new $1,200 toy much farther away than that anyway. While it does have the “Return to Home” feature, it does not have the “stop my loser friends from sending my $1,200 flying into a pond” feature.

It’s also got automatic stabilization to help you fly, and the ability to tilt the camera remotely. Battery life is rated at 25 minutes, and you can easily swap batteries too.

Think you’re cool enough to bring the Phantom 2 Vision on the next family vacation? You can get your very own over at Amazon for $1,199(USD). If, like me, this is out of your price range, just do what I do: buy an Otterbox case, press the record button on your phone, and launch it as far as possible. You’ll get the same results give or take the entire thing.

Into photography? Take a look at the Kula Deeper, which lets you take some awesome 3D pictures, or the USB Camera Lens Humidifier, which is a way to take your money disguised as a humidifier disguised as a camera lens.