A camera as powerful as the Human eye

A camera as powerful as the Human eye

With the technological innovations that the world has witnessed in the past few decades, we were able to design and mass produce image/ video recording gadgets that can produce miraculous results. We can look into the depth of this universe or explore the details of sub-atomic particles. We can slow down time frame by frame or we can make the world move at a faster pace. We are even successful in installing a high definition camera in our small mobile phones. The whole world is narrowing down into our pockets! 

My interest in photography has led me to experiment with different equipment and methodology. I believe it’s a continuous learning process and there is always some scope of improvement. The question that keep intriguing me is “What’s next? ”. This has lead me to think about the camera of future. “A camera as powerful as the Human eye". Although there are certain features available in some cameras that exceeds the capabilities of our eyes, still there are many features which are present only in the Human eye. We have still a long way to go till we reach that benchmark. 

There are vast differences between what is being offered currently by camera manufacturers and what our eyes are capable of doing. This leaves open a wide scope of possible technological improvements. Mimicking an eye would also bring the complexity of creating a sensor that should be able to adjust the settings of the camera on its own to provide best picture, just like our brain does. Ideally the prototype of this camera would be a small unit backed by powerful sensors and single lens that will serve multiple purposes. This camera will generate super high resolution images, can capture wide angle pictures and produce noise-less photos / videos even in low light situations.

The development of such a camera would require dedicated research both in the field of Optics and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There will be a requirement to achieve super high resolution of around 567 megapixels, dynamic range of over 20 stops, an Irish-controlled aperture, a single adjustable lens and all this packed into a small housing (nearly 1 inch diameter). Optical innovation would play an important role in bringing about such ambitious outcome. Since the camera needs to have a brain of its own to adopt to various situation and provide best images / videos accordingly, thus it would require an AI backed sensor.

A tie-up with major players in the field of Camera manufacturing will provide the suitable technological and financial support to carry out the project. It can be rolled out in several phases with the ultimate aim to capture all the functionalities of Human eye. Initially we can look forward to design and manufacturing of individual components and then gradually begin to assemble all the features into one product offering. Incorporation of AI can be done at the end to realize the full potential of the camera.

To get a better understanding of the prototype of this camera we can observe the following storyboard:

Considering the factors elaborated above a concept sketch has been prepared, drawing parallels from the human eye. The purpose is to have a basic idea of how the final product should look like.

This camera will be designed to provide high quality output while being very easy to operate. Based on these two features, I have the hypothesis that it will attract budding photographers to capture great pictures without much hassle. To check this hypothesis, I propose to float a survey among college goers who are very likely to adopt photography as a hobby. This survey will detail the functional and experiential aspects of the proposed camera and will record the their willingness to purchase the product and the willingness to pay. Furthermore the issues faced by current photographers and how effective will this camera be in resolving those issues will also be discussed. The overall response will be evaluated and final conclusion would be based on the majority of opinion. This survey will have a two sided impact. Firstly, it would let me know the need and acceptability of such a camera. Secondly, I can learn what are the further pain points of user that can be addressed by improving camera design.

It’s often said that “we only live once, but once is enough if we do it right”. Our life goals should be oriented to find that particular task where we can create a difference and leave our mark. I am hopeful that the challenge that I have undertaken will help me bring a positive change in the field of photography.

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