Canalview
Projects | |
---|---|
Participants | Dramaturg |
Skills | coding, cameras |
Status | Planning |
Niche | Software |
Purpose | Fun |
The goal is to make something like streetview, but for the Amsterdam canals.
Contents
Challenges
- how to make useable 360 shots.
- while on a boat which moves
- reliably add GPS coordinates to the 360 shot
- implement it online? (osm/openlayers/html5/flash?)
Ideas/Brainstorming
Camera stuff
A boat is never ever stationary. Every shot will have to cover 360 degrees instantly (or VERY fast).
Use three cameras in a star-shaped configuration
like this:
| ↖ | ↗ O / \ / ↓ \
Three cameras on a stick. As easy as that.
Use one camera pointed upwards and a reflecting cone
Create a full 360 degree pictures in one picture:
\ / <---- \/ ----> ↰ ↱ __ \/ ⬛⬛ ⬛⬛
To build it we could put an UV filter on the lens and glue a mounting rod to the middle of it, attaching the cone on top of it. (We don't need the center part in this scenario anyway.)
Use a film camera and a rotating mirror
Added diffuculty: need to record mirror position relative to boat heading constantly.
⟳ / / /↱ → → → ↑ __ \/ ⬛⬛ ⬛⬛
Some LIDAR sensors use a similar setup.
Camera mount
The boat will rock. options:
- stable mount that can counter pitch, roll, yaw.
- record tilt with wiimote (or similar) and correct in software.
Positioning
- We need to figure out if a (D)GPS really is acurate enough. If will be severely influenced by the surrounding houses and bridges. We might need to determine our exact position in the canal by using range sensors against the canal walls.
- Add a magnetic compass sensor to record the exact heading of the boat.
Data gathering
Many cameras are able to store GPS information with every pictures' exif data. (How does that work?) If we also need/want to record heading and other stuff this might become more difficult. Easiest would be if we could directly control and store the pictures on a computer.
Requirements
- A boat
- Atleast one DSLR
- ?
Options
webmind can probably arrange a motorised boat in amsterdam and has one EOS350D