One oddity of smartphones is that they often contain cameras that can take far better pictures and films than their owners have the resources to shoot, due to lack of tripods and other specialized stabilization devices. For this reason, home videos shot on Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhones and the like are often jumpy and blurry despite the 1080p HD capabilities of the camera used. While built-in stabilization helps considerably, there is still a gap between potential and actual performance when the iPhone is used for casual videography.
A currently active Kickstarter aims to help smartphone videographers unlock the potential of their devices – the Hando robotic stabilizer, which also seems to be the startup project of the Hando company, based in Thousand Oaks, California. The crowdfunding effort opened on June 25th and, three days later, has reached $10,750 out of its $90,000 goal, with 36 backers. As of today, 42 days remain before the Kickstarter’s August 9th, 2014 conclusion.
The project is 11.9% funded, a relatively robust start for a first-time, though slickly professional, project.
The Hando stabilizer consists of a large upright pistol grip for holding the device, with a smallish rectangular platform on top. A metal bracket at the front of the platform can mount an iPhone or other smartphone, or a GoPro camera. The main body contains servo motors, gyroscopes, motion sensors, a processor core, ball bearings, and all the rest of what is needed to make the Hando able to adjust quickly and smoothly to keep the filming smartphone steady.
The Hando adjusts automatically, rapidly, and without bumpiness to movements of the videographer, whether these are small (the natural shifting and twitching of the arm) or large (the effect of walking, shifting perspective, and so on). The robotic stabilizer can adjust in two directions, roll (side to side changes in angle) and pitch (front to back, or up and down, changes in angle). The device keeps the smartphone on an even keel without input from the user.
High angle and low angle filming are also supported. The Hando is a literal “one button design,” with a single control enabling the user to tilt the camera up or down to focus on action at unusual angles to the viewer. Once tilted, the same stabilization will go into effect, keeping the smartphone correctly angled and enabling professional-quality 1080p HD to be shot easily.
Most of the Kickstarter is slated to pay for molds ($52,000), with calibration fixtures being the second largest item at $20,000. Hando’s robotic stabilizer is an intriguing example of how Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) very existance helps to trigger additional economic activity and new startups, which in turn help to keep the Cupertino enterprise in existence by adding extra possibilities to its already versatile products.
