A groundbreaking camera that decides itself when to take a shot will go on sale in Britain in November, in the first consumer application of technology developed by the British maker OMG Plc.
The device, called the Autographer, uses five in-built sensors and software developed by Microsoft to choose the best moment to capture an image without any intervention from the user.
The high-resolution pictures, which can number 2,000 in a day, can then be combined to create a visual record of an event like a party, a music festival or a typical day in the life of the owner.
The Autographer, which can be worn around the neck, clipped to clothing or placed in a particular vantage point, is the first consumer device from OMG, whose stop-motion technology is used in fields ranging from computer game development to surveying roads.
The company originally developed a version of the Autographer as a memory aid for people with dementia, but said it decided to launch it to the broader market after finding users and their families were also using the devices to record and remember special occasions.
OMG Chief Executive Nick Bolton said the camera occupied a space between stills photography and video.
"It can capture really meaningful single images, but there's actually something about watching the day back in sequence," Bolton said. "It tells a story about the day you've just experienced."
The camera will be sold directly to the public for 399 pounds ($650), Bolton said. He added that potential launches in the United States and Japan could follow.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by David Holmes)
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