Imint Sees Great Promise for Video Stabilization Technology in Burgeoning Wearable Market

With Challenge Comes Opportunity

Clearly, smart wristwatches, glasses, and other wearables present a huge opportunity for developers of video technology. The inherent challenge is overcoming quality issues associated with movement of the wearable. Even the slightest twitch of an arm or nod of a head will render an unfocused video image when captured by a watch or pair of glasses. 

Here’s where a proven video enhancement technology like Imint’s Vidhance Video Stabilization and Vidhance Horizon Correction software can help. Our software is already firmly rooted in many brands of smartphones to keep video steady and can do the same for wearables.  

“We believe that without video enhancement software, wearables will never achieve the same video production level as smartphones,” says Imint CTO Johan Svensson. “Unlike a smartphone that can be held stable much more easily, wearables move as the body moves, making it much more difficult, if not impossible, to stay in focus. This makes video stabilization technology not just an attractive selling feature, but absolutely imperative to the progression of wearables. The wearable essentially becomes unusable if the quality of the video can’t be controlled.” 

Smartphones allow the end-user to adjust settings to manipulate the video, but with wearables, the video enhancements need to happen automatically and transparently. “Nobody will want to take off their watch or glasses to finetune an image, nor do they want those extra features to impact the size, cosmetics, or comfort of the wearable,” Svensson continues. 

Deliver a Meaningful End-User Experience 

There’s more at risk than poor image quality when something as inherently unstable as a wearable device is used to conduct video chats and stream live video. “Motion sickness, eye strain, fatigue, and disorientation can occur,” Svensson says. “Holding a watch perfectly horizontal and still during a video conference is the only way to preclude shakiness, but it’s uncomfortable to the person wearing the watch and to participants who struggle to focus on video that comes through blurry and warped.” 

A similar situation unfolds when smart glasses are used to capture and stream live video, be it for personal enjoyment, business presentations, or remote, virtual assistance. Imagine touring a model home remotely via smart glasses worn by a realtor or watching vacation scenes sent to you in real-time from a friend’s smart sunglasses. The slightest bob of the head or shift in stance would ruin video image, resulting in an unpleasurable viewing experience. 

The Future Looks Bright for Video Stabilization in Wearables

Consumers have embraced smart watches for monitoring fitness levels, receiving email and text notifications, and placing occasional video calls. AR glasses, as well, offer gamers a highly interactive, engaging experience. 

Today, the wearable market serves these exclusive niches. Over the next five to 10 years, as technologies like our Vidhance Video Stabilization software weave their way into wearable devices, we expect that smart watches and glasses will move mainstream. Smartphones have set the video standard in personal mobile devices; wearables that can match it with effortless and automatic imaging enhancements through innovative video stabilization technologies are destined for great success. 

Learn more about our groundbreaking Vidhance Video Stabilization solution here. For more information on integrating video stabilization software into wearable devices, contact us here.