The modern age has seen many technological breakthroughs and Artificial intelligence is the most exciting of all. Like many other aspects of our life, artificial intelligence has also significantly changed the way we used to photograph. In recent years, AI has been used in mobile phones to enhance the possibilities of what we can do with mobile cameras. Such as Google’s AR Athletes uses AI to get a better understanding of your environment and then you can put any famous athlete in the same environment. So, with AI, the possibilities are endless. And here, you will get to learn what artificial intelligence is and how it works in mobile phone cameras. So without further ado, let’s jump in.
What is an AI?
In computer science, Artificial Intelligence simulates human information in a machine by incorporating large amounts of data from its surroundings, learning from them, and taking logical actions without any human assistance. In simple terms, Artificial Intelligence allows a machine to exhibit human traits like learning and problem-solving.
So the question is- how this amazing technology can be of any use to cameras in mobiles. Well, AI is used in computational photography, voice activation, easy photo editing, and much more. In the next section, we are going to discuss all these topics so that you get a good grasp of all of them.
The Neural Processing Units
When it comes to image analysis and recognition, it requires complex computational operations that many traditional smartphone CPUs are unable to perform. So there is a need for something more than those CPUs. And this is where Neural processing units come into the picture. The Neural processing unit or the NPU is capable of handling Deep Neural Network operations that help smartphone cameras to make decisions like human beings. For example, it can make decisions about the perfect shutter speed and aperture based on the environment. Machine learning also enhances the capabilities of NPUs. You can even train your camera with the help of an NPU, about some of your specific photographic habits such as white balance and other stuff. Most of the latest smartphones come with built-in NPUs into their CPUs for better performance and less power consumption.
Voice-activated Cameras
Over the years, voice-activated cameras have been making their way into smartphone cameras. In plain words, it is the ability of a camera to understand human voice and the command said and react accordingly. For the past few years, smartphone cameras have been featuring “Google Now” and “Siri” which assist in taking photos and recording videos without the need of tapping your phone. You just say the desired words and it will automatically detect your voice and your desired action. For example:
You can say to your iPhone that “Hey Siri, take Slow Motion” and you will find that your iPhone will instantly start recording Slo-mo videos. Now, if you’re thinking about how this works. Well, after you are done with your command, the smartphone’s CPU instantly breaks the audio into different small parts. Then it analyzes each sound and its frequency with the help of a built-in algorithm. And this is how it recognizes the most probable words and converts them into texts to make the command happen.
AI Software for Mobile Photography
Smartphones are getting slimmer with time. So it is obvious that today’s smartphones can’t have too many optics to maintain the form factor. But there is a demand for smartphone cameras as a good alternative to digital cameras. So, how did smartphone cameras stand up in the competition? The answer lies in its AI-based software segment. Computation photography has been used in smartphones to replicate optical zoom. Computation photography is more efficiently used in google pixel 3. Most of the smartphones use the dual-lens setup whereas google pixel 3 featured a single lens. Computation photography was used in the place of another lens to get optical zoom. After that, many smartphones featured a multi-camera setup along with computational photography to get the desired lens effect and depth of field that was previously possible only through a digital camera with large optics.
Today’s smartphone cameras are not just simple cameras anymore. Rather, it is more like a brain that tries to figure out how you would like to see a picture and acts accordingly. For instance, take the “Google Clips” camera. This AI-infused camera has an algorithm of basic photography skills. And with those skills, it takes images while maintaining the rule of thirds and other tips for better photography. It observes the people you are with most and captures more images of them. This camera also suggests the best moment for a photo. Besides, it also automatically deletes images that are out of focus.
LG has also been using artificial intelligence in its smartphone cameras. The LG V30S ThinQ phone uses the Graphy app which lets you select a professional image and apply the same aperture, shutter speed and other settings of that photo so that your image also gets the same look as the professional one. LG has another AI-based app called Vision A. It is basically an image recognition engine which has been trained using 100 million images. It has a neural network that is capable of suggesting how to set your camera for a perfect shot.
Who is AI Photography For?
Previously, photography was the arena only for those who have expertise in that. Without a deep understanding of photography and a better DSLR, capturing a good photo was nearly impossible. With the arrival of artificial intelligence, the scenario has drastically changed. AI lets many beginner photographers take stunning images without knowing much about photography, as it has the power to make decisions like humans. So clearly, people with little or no photography experience are the most benefited by the AI-infused smartphone cameras. Another prominent usage of AI is seen in beautifying images. AI is used for removing blemishes and spots on skins.
On the other hand, people who are already professionals might not always like the automatic AI features. Often they are focused on capturing more tailored images. This way, professional photographers can manually change all the settings for the best possible output. Besides, AI might not work in every situation. So, to ensure the utmost quality of an image, a professional might not require the Ai features all the time.
So that was all about how AI works with mobile cameras. Undoubtedly, AI has opened many doors of possibilities in photography. But still, there is a long way to go. So what more changes Artificial intelligence is going to bring in mobile photography, according to you? Leave an opinion below in the comment section.
