Bubl Technologies, the Toronto-based hardware startup that has created the first spherical, 360-degree consumer camera, is ready to ship its product next month.
The startup was formerly part of the Canadian Film Centre’s (CFC) ideaBOOST accelerator program, and recently launched pre-orders for the product. It’ll start shipping in early September, continuing into October.
Bubl Technologies said the Bublcam is a device backed by “the most forward-looking software in the industry,” giving users the ability to capture spherical photos and videos and share them with anyone, anywhere.
“Since its incarnation, the camera has been a pivotal tool to help people capture moments and tell stories,” said CEO Sean Ramsay. “Bublcam takes digital storytelling to the next level with zero blind spots and a fully spherical experience. More than just a camera that shoots on a horizontal plane, Bublcam enables consumers to pan anywhere in a given shot and then incorporates an online sharing feature to stream or upload content directly from the device.”
Bubl’s current collaboration with Google allows anyone with a Bublcam to upload spherical photos directly to Google Maps, StreetView and Google+. Other features include real-time image stitching, self-calibration and image stabilization, a four-camera, tetrahedral design for zero blind spots and live video streaming. The Bublcam “changes the way consumers capture moments and share their experiences,” wrote the company.
The camera also features professional controls, including HDR, white balance, contrast and gamma, all in a device the size of a baseball. Meanwhile developers can utilize the Bubl API & SDK, and can create software applications that can fully control the Bublcam. Bubl Technologies see’s features potentially being developed like facial and image recognition, interactive touch points, motion tracking, cloud-based storage connectivity and integration to other virtual reality devices.
Bubl’s software applications will allow for iOS, Android, Oculus VR, Windows 8 (XboxOne), Chromecast, PS4 Amazon Fire and Avegant integration. The company’s goal is to allow for the consumption of spherical or 360-degree content across every major digital platform and device.
Bublcam was nice enough to create an infographic titled, “A Short History of the Camera.”
