The success of action cameras like GoPro is seeing people capture all kinds of crazy footage, with everything from spacewalks to cave explorations and falling to Earth from orbit being filmed by adventure seekers. Now, one ambitious US startup is looking to take the hassle out of editing the videos you record with these sorts of devices, with an action cam that assembles and packages the best bits for you automatically.
The Graava action camera uses an array of sensors and what the company calls "AI algorithms" to intelligently monitor your activity and detect the best scenes from those you've recorded. With tech specs that read more like a smartphone than a traditional video camera, the tiny unit squeezes in an accelerometer, gyro sensor, light sensor, two microphones, and a GPS, which it uses to automatically cut out the boring bits when you're less active or the visuals are relatively static.
The Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-enabled device also includes a heart rate monitor too as an optional extra, in case you want it to focus on the moments where you felt really excited (or should that be terrified?). It features a Full HD 1080p camera, which can record at 30 frames per second, with 60 frames per second supported at a lower 720p resolution. The camera can also capture stills at 8MP.
Once you've got your footage in the bag, the only creative decision you need to make is how long you want your final video to be, and the Graava will tailor its edits accordingly. It can also sync up a selection from your favourite pre-chosen tunes as background music, and will post the final cut to whichever social media services you want to show off in front of your friends on. An advanced mode lets you go back and apply manual edits in case the software misses any of your favourite scenes.
If it sounds like Graava is designed for lazy people, that's because it is – well, lazy video editors at least. Of course, if you really want its high-tech editing prowess to look any good, you're still going to have to get off the couch in the first place and do something worth watching, like riding a bike or going abseiling or something. (Or attaching it to your dog's collar at least.) The device is currently available for pre-order, with the first commercial units expected to be shipped early next year.
To see what Graava's auto-editing is capable of, compare the two clips below. The first one is a 30-second edit compiled by the software, while the second clip is about 4 minutes of unedited footage. We know what we'd rather watch.