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Improtech PhotoRobot - Industry 4.0 Readiness
In 2004, Kamil Hrbáček founded PhotoRobot in the Czech Republic as a company that develops, manufactures, and distributes software-driven hardware for automated photography.
Now, the line of PhotoRobot hardware covers 360 Photography Turntables, Turning Platforms, Car Carousels, Multi-Purpose Photography Robots, Robot Arms, and Multi-Camera Rigs. Meanwhile, PhotoRobot _Controls software enables robots to function standalone or in modules combining multiple robots to automate object photography, 3D modeling, and video.
PhotoRobot _Controls software serves to simplify, speed up, and standardize workflows – from prep, to capture, post-processing, and publishing. The software integrates control over robots, studio lights, cameras, photographic equipment, and post production. This includes automation to support still image & packshot photography, 360 product photography, 3D object modeling, product animation, and 360 product video.
Initially for internal use only, Kamil Hrbáček created PhotoRobot for the company uni-max, a tool retailer e-shop. The system started as a basic solution to speed up the photography of tools and machinery, and to distribute product imagery online.
Colorlus Studios (Verona, Italy) was then the first commercial customer to adopt PhotoRobot, followed by MyClip Studios of Munich, Germany.
Fast forward to today, and PhotoRobot now has approximately 2,500 installations across 6 continents (North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa).
The product range of PhotoRobot focuses on photo robots and proprietary software for use in any photo studio, production hall, or warehouse environment. This includes and is not limited to 360 photography turntables, large rotating platforms, car carousels, robot arm systems, and PhotoRobot software products.
These all integrate with professional cameras, compatible studio light systems, and other photographic equipment via software for robotic process automation (RPA). RPA ensures the highest levels of accuracy and consistency of photography.
PhotoRobot workflow management software then supports automatic digital image processing, digital asset management (DAM), and API connection to 3rd party systems. Also, PhotoRobot object positioning systems can function in combination with other devices, such as PhotoRobot’s line of premium ghost mannequins for fashion product photography.
Other products now include the PhotoRobot Touch software app for iPhone product photography (2024), and various custom modules combining multiple robots, such as PhotoRobot ART modules. These combine a 360 turntable and Cube robot into a system for the photography and digitization of valuable antique & museum collection items. They also join a growing line of custom modules and applications designed around the unique needs of PhotoRobot customers.
Among the primary applications of PhotoRobot technology, robotic process automation (RPA) aims to reduce operational costs, labor requirements, and content time-to-market for photography agencies and production halls. In these aspects, RPA helps PhotoRobot to automate complex, time-consuming and repeatable tasks, while likewise reducing the onboarding and technological requirements for in-house object photography.
Still product photography is commonly employed for marketing purposes, product listings for online stores, and also to adhere to GS1 standards. This type of photography uses product-only images often on a white, distraction-free background. Still images typically capture details of objects such as their size, material, silhouette, and color. In GS1 compliant photos, they also capture barcodes, SKUs, ingredient lists, and nutritional as well as on-package data.
360 product spins are essentially for eCommerce, and to enhance eCommerce product listings. However, it can also support applications such as archiving museum collection items, or preserving valuable objects of study. 360 object photos (also 360 spins or simply spins) show 360-degrees horizontally around an object. Spins sometimes may also include multiple rows of elevation (3D spins) to capture bottom and top views, allowing for viewing along a vertical as well as horizontal axis.
The assets can be either non-interactive, or interactive with click and drag control, hot spots, and zoom. This helps to create more engaging and informative content, whether for product visualization, or documenting objects. Further, a high-quality 360 spin will consist most often of 24, 36, or more photos around an item. These individual photos provide multiple assets that companies then use in the form of packshots, marketing images, and still image galleries.
In other cases, it is possible to create a simple 360 spin by video production. These spins use a video loop of the rotating object rather than stitching together a series of still images. They are most often employed to enhance product listings, such as for sales, email, and social media channels.
Additionally, when producing 360 spin photography, PhotoRobot software integration of photogrammetry 3D object modeling is able to digitize photos into virtual 3D object models. This involves a 3D scanning process that is most commonly used to create interactive object experiences, product configurators, and assets for augmented & virtual reality applications.
In order to generate a 3D model, the system analyzes a 360 spin containing at least two rows of elevation, and at least one top view, and one bottom view of an object. Powerful software algorithms are then able to analyze, measure, and generate a 3D model by stitching together the individual photographs.
This process results in a virtual object model which customers can host on 3D eCommerce platforms, publish on their own internal systems and software, or optimize via 3rd party software for video games, AR & VR applications. These use cases are popular across wide ranging industries: from automotives & automotive parts, to car reselling, fashion & footwear, and any dynamic, complex, or configurable objects.
Moving product animations are 360 spins that showcase movement, configurations, or interaction of items. They might demonstrate product functionality, complexity, as well as movement from multiple or all angles.
Take for example an animation of a collection of items, like a 360 spin of a gift box that slowly adds food and beverage products into their packaging. Another example might be a 360 spin of two fashion items together, like a handbag and matching handkerchief combination.
Animations help to not only inform and educate. More importantly, they make product visuals more likely to attract the attention of prospective buyers. They offer a modern, entertaining format to enhance product listings, and compliment wider portfolios for product advertising and marketing campaigns.
The 360 product video is a non-interactive spin often in the format of a video loop that showcases a product rotating on a distraction-free background. This format serves as an effective alternative to 360 product photography for website product listings. It is also optimal for advertising across email and social media channels, with 360 product video embeddable in MP4 or GIF file formats.
360 product videos can function as simple 360 spins that show an object rotating along a horizontal axis only, or as more advanced spins with a flying camera effect. The flying camera effect is more often produced using a Robot Arm in combination with a motorized turntable. It captures a vertical viewing axis in addition to the horizontal axis, making the view appear to fly over an object as it spins.
Producing videos like these is then possible in a cost-efficient manner using robotic process automation. PhotoRobot software provides programmable control over turntable rotation with video capture, robot arm movement, and other studio equipment to automatically capture videos according to video timelines. This allows teams to easily repeat video workflows, and to consistently produce 360 product video with smooth, robotic precision.
Note: Download of PhotoRobot Controls, Locator, and other related apps are accessible in all paid PhotoRobot Accounts associated with the installation of physical hardware.
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