Video: Automate a Camera's Path with the HoloLens and VroomCam

Every day the young world of mixed reality is creating new ways for people to work with with computers. We are looking for, and finding, new ways for these head-worn computers to understand what we tell them. Sometimes it is with our hands, sometimes it is where we turn our head, sometimes it is what we say. In the case highlighted below, it's where we walk.

VroomCam is a platform designed to automate cinematic virtual reality, 360-degree images, and light field capture with an eye towards sports and entertainment. Imagine VR video from the field with your favorite football team, or walking around the stage as your favorite band plays live, and then think about what kind of set up could make that happen.

VroomCam is using combinations of robotic 360-degree cameras and drones to creating those experiences. They're using remote controls, computers, smartphones, and now the Microsoft HoloLens as a platform to control and automate camera devices. Check out the HoloLens demo in the video below.

The video shows VroomCam co-founder Gonzalo de la Torre, a musician and film director with a love for start-ups, demonstrating how the HoloLens can be used to set the path, simply by using a voice command to start recording and then walking the path he wants the camera to follow. Afterward, the robot uses the positional data captured by the HoloLens and follows that same route.

While this app is designed for VroomCam's robotic camera platform for cinematography, it is such a straightforward and practical idea that it should apply to any robots or drones. And if you have experience with HoloLens development, and how positional information is handled. Capturing and streaming positional information, it is not all that tough to pull off either. Making the robot understand that positional information may take some work, though.

The ability to set the path and let automation take over seems almost obvious. I can imagine a few indie directors of photography I know, who might enjoy the far less manual workflow. Sadly for small teams, the VroomCam seems aimed at big studios. According to the VroomCam FAQ they are not selling the application, robots, or other tools:

VroomCam is custom, leased and consulted for broadcasters and cinema studio operation. For an opportunity to test VroomCam, please fill out our contact list. We look forward to having you experience cinematic locomotive capture.

— vroomcam

Does this HoloLens use-case interest you? Can you think of other uses for this type of fine automation? Would you like to see tutorials on this type of positional data capture in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

The company is unveiling something at CES 2017, so keep your eyes peeled for more news.