The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is known for its development of breakthrough technology and engineering research. It is now wowing photographers with its latest drone invention.
In association with Cornell University, MIT researchers have made an unmanned aerial device that will incorporate advanced lighting that is preferred for use in photography applications.
Drones have been subject to admiration and criticism equally. They have been the subject of controversy between entrepreneurs and the Federal Aviation Administration. Amazon would love to use the gadgets to deliver packages, and one report even notes they have been used to deliver pizza.
Drones were first introduced to the public for their military applications in fighting terrorism in the Middle East. The United States government faced harsh criticism as well for using the unmanned vehicles to surveil and destroy targets. They were, at times, accused of harming innocent bystanders. Law enforcement officials have also said they would like to prohibit their use, as criminals may use them in counter-intelligence or criminal activities. The FAA already prohibits commercial use.
Budding entrepreneurs, particularly media production artists, videographers, filmmakers and photographers, want to put these flying gadgets to work on new innovative experiments in media. Congress is considering allowing some pilots to use them for commercial purposes. Amazon is eagerly awaiting legislative updates on the matter.
The big innovation for the drones at MIT is in the lighting. Photographers work hard to make sure proper lighting impacts their shots just right. Aerial control of lighting would be an aerial photographer's dream come true. The technique that MIT uses is called "rim lighting," according to its press release.
According to recent reports, the device will be shown off at the International Symposium on Computational Aesthetics in Graphics, Visualization and Imaging. The symposium will take place in August and is expected to draw technology enthusiasts, engineers, designers and other like minds from around the world.
Rim lighting works by having one edge of the subject to be photographed well-lit. The system enables the photographer to adjust settings for width of the illuminated border. The user then uses the drone, which will automatically find the lighting conditions set by the user, using its own lighting included with the drone. The drone will even adjust itself in real time to match desired shooting and lighting conditions.
Researchers believe the device, in the future, will be able to cooperate with other drones to capture complicated photography scenarios.
