Nikon Introduces Heartography; a Camera Triggered by a Dog’s Emotions

Nikon’s latest development, heartography, couldn’t be truer to the company’s slogan – ‘At the heart of the image’.

The contraptions is claimed to “connect to emotions” as it monitors the heart rate, in this case of a dog named Grizzler, and captures a photo when there’s a noticeable increase.

“Photos can capture the world’s beauty within a single frame, and photographers translate what they feel into what others can see”, the Nikon website states, adding that “with Heartography, anyone with a heartbeat can be a photographer”.

Despite the cool insight gained by the street photography of the first canine photographer, or phodographer, it’s unlikely that you’ll see the device taking over anytime soon.

“What if emotions could take photographs?” the website asks, as it goes on to explain how the project works:

1. Heartbeat data is gathered from the photographer
2. Sent via Bluetooth, the heart-monitoring band is designed to communicate directly with the Heartography SmartCase

3. A signal, transmitted via Bluetooth, is received in the case controlling the camera once the heartbeat exceeds a predetermined baseline
4. The Pro Trinket microcontroller is coded to move the servo once the photographer’s heart rate spikes
5. The servo arm them depresses the camera’s shutter button, priming the camera’s focus for a photograph

6. A photo is captured, straight from the photographer’s heart

Before your own heartbeat spikes of excitement and you rush to order the Heartography SmartCase, you should know that it was developed specifically for the Heartography campaign and is intended to promote the Nikon Coolpix L31, all while showing how innovative the company can be.

The camera was announced together with the Coolpix L32, which is the more advanced model and the one found in major US stores such as Amazon and B&H.

A quick word to Nikon on the subject on innovation: well done on the campaign! It’s a great idea and you have regained my faith in your ability to come up with new and exciting features. Now, can we please get some of your brilliant and innovative ideas implemented in the next line of DSLRs? Pretty please?

[via Nikon Rumors]