Android-based time-lapse photography application with slider & pan-tilt kit

• Main Author: Teo, Peng Bin
• Other Authors: Chia Liang Tien
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/59205
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Android is an operating system designed for touchscreen mobile devices. Since the launch of the first Android smartphone in 2008, market share of Android usage has been increasing tremendously. Analysis has shown that in 2013, Android has claimed almost 79% of the smartphone market share. As most smartphones have integrated cameras, they have become the primary gadgets for taking photographs. For most digital cameras, to perform time-lapse photography, additional hardware such as an intervalometer, or computer used as an intervalometer via tethering software, are required. These cameras do not have the ability to take photos at pre defined intervals, much less creating a time-lapse video. If a user wants to involve the use of a camera slider, additional hardware interfacing is required. Due to the fact that Android is an open-source platform, consumers are spoilt for choice with the variety of photography applications. This report consists of reviews of existing Android applications for time-lapse photography, as well as a study of the adaption of Android in digital cameras by camera manufacturers. Currently, there is no consideration for using time-lapse application with additional hardware like a pan-tilt head or camera slider, which inspired the execution of this project. An Android-based time-lapse application is developed to work with a camera slider and pan-tilt head. With this implementation, user will just have to frame their shot, input necessary settings and click on a button to start the capturing process. Once done, a time-lapse video with panning effect is created, all done on the camera. This document also features the scope and development lifecycle of an Android application for time-lapse photography, which includes testing procedures and issues encountered. Since the project focuses on involvement of servo in a pan-tilt head and a camera slider, the technical documentation and future software considerations are included.