My friend Stoney Vintson, an extraordinary Panoramic photographer, told me about
Yahoo’s “Purple Pedals” campaign today.
Yahoo has sent Cameraphone-enabled bikes to cities all over the world, from San Francisco to New York and soon, to Singapore, Denmark and the U.K. The bike cameras automatically shoot and upload photos to Flickr.
The bikes use a Nokia N95 cameraphone running a custom Python script which uploads the photo with geotags to the bike’s Flickr account every minute. Solar panels power the camera. Software using the phone’s accelerometer detects when the bike is in motion, and automatically snaps photos every 60 seconds.
There are two software components to the project: the client-side written in Python for S60 and the server-side which uses PHP, MySQL, and YUI. YUI is a set of utilities and controls, written with JavaScript and CSS by engineers at Yahoo!
It’s a great idea (although it’s apparently not new). Google has a 360 panoramic trike for 3D capture with Lidar. But it’s not affordable…and requires a small gas-powered generator. However, a WiMAXed “pedicam”…in Austin or Portland, could go live without breaking a sweat.
Prerecorded 360 videos, shot from a pedicab or tour bus would be easy.
The $180 Sony panoramic video camera features a full 360° field of view. It shoots HD-MP4 video, 5MP photos, and includes a swivel lens with a 360 video accessory.
The $20 360° Video Accessory lets you capture panoramic video with a full 360° field of view. After shooting, you can watch, share and upload your 360° videos.
A live camera, installed on a tour bus or Pedicab now is doable thanks to Mobile WiMAX.
Anyone might log in. Pick a time and destination for a tour, then tune in — free (with ads). With a live pedicab camera, you could get personal service — for $60/hr.
Sprint’s WiMAX phone features live, 2-way video using Qik. Turn it on. Let it rip. A Bluetooth headset could connect the Pedicab driver to you, the remote viewer.
The Canon 550D shoots HD video with HDMI output while the Matrox MXO2 Mini captures HDMI video and audio, component, S-Video or composite with H-264 compression faster than real-time. Push it out at 500Kbps through WiMAX. Put that on your Segway.
VBrick’s Mobile Broadcast System provides you with a highly portable, rapidly deployable, broadcast solution for live on-location reporting. It bonds up to six 3G/4G connections.
Ustream Producer can manage your streamcast for mobile or static users. Charge $500/day for event or convention coverage.
Portland is home to several Panoramic photography startups, including iMove (with a 6 camera, 360 degree video camera) and Immersive Media (with a 12 camera, 360 degree video camera), as well as Gigapan Systems, which makes a Gigapixel robotic mount for panoramic stills that can then be uploaded to the Gigapan.org website and zoomed in like Google Earth. GigaPan Stitch software is included with every GigaPan robotic mount.
Immersive Media shot 360 video in Haiti with their DODECA camera system. Check out the spectacular 360 immersive video footage of the devastation.
Imagine a “Virtual Saturday Market”. It could be available by tablet or PC. People might construct their own virtual booth space, within an open source commercial package, then sell directly to consumers. Live musicians and performers provide an additional draw, creating authentic ambiance in the actual location.
A franchise package might include a “live” pedicab camera and a backend sales database.
Tell the pedicab driver you want to buy a basket. Then travel through the actual bazaar and see the merchandise. Order online after you’ve seen the store and dealer in context. Like vendors at your own neighborhood market.
The “live” host could be responsible for the shipping and handling. The franchiser takes perhaps 30%, while the host and merchant split the remaining 70%. Everyone benefits.
The idea is micro-economics.
The point is to enable merchants in remote locales to sell directly to consumers in other lands.
But there has to be a draw. The live pedicab camera, interaction with the host, and immersive experience is the value added. Shopping generates revenue.
The International VR Photography Association holds their annual conference in Tucson, AZ, April 14-18.
Related Dailywireless stories include; Cell Bazaar, iPad Street View, 360 Degree Haiti Video, Microsoft’s Streetside: Indoors via Stills & Video, Live 360 Degree Streaming Video, 3D Mapping, Google Streetview on Cell Phones, The 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Gigapixel Man, Street View & Photosynth Head Home, Wireless Coverage at Indy 500, Live Map Integrates Photosynth 3D Tours, The Virtual Set, Microsoft’s 3D Photo Flyby, Photosynth Launch, Street View and Photosynth Head Home, Infinite Zoom, Virtual Earth Adds Cities, Mapping Goes Live, How To Spend Your Homeland Security Check, Wireless 360 Video, GPS Tracking: In a Shoe, On a Bike
