Nikon is reportedly working on a biometric camera sensor and lens that can read the mood and emotions of the photographer while they’re taking pictures.
It almost seems like something straight out of a science fiction movie, but Nikon has actually filed a patent for a camera and lens with a biometric sensor. It was discovered by New Camera and the patent says the sensors are built on the sides of the lens and on the front and backs of DSLRs.
The sensors are believed to read your thumb and fingers on both hands while you’re shooting and from that determine your mood.
So … why is Nikon doing this?
While it might be neat to know that your camera can read your inner feelings — or maybe a little strange — what real-world applications can this feature really have? Nikon believes that this feature, while not improving the actual aesthetic of your pictures, will give your viewers a better understanding of the pictures you take.
Many photographers feel strong, indescribable emotions when shooting pictures and they can’t always convey them. Nikon claims viewers will have a newfound appreciation for photographers if they know their state of mind during the time when the photo was taken.
Your mood isn’t all these sensors can read
The filed patent also reveals that the sensors can read things like your heart rate, blood flow, blood pressure, perspiration, body temperature and how much pressure your grip is putting onto your equipment.
How many emotions can the sensor detect?
While it’s almost impossible to read every single emotion, it seems Nikon’s covered a fair amount of them. The camera is said to use algorithms to interpret the photographer’s emotions using the detect biometric data. The algorithm then can associate the photos with emotions like “normal,” “joy,” “love,” “shame,” “impatience,” “pain,” “surprised,” “confused,” “indifferent,” “sadness,” “anger,” and “despair.”
When is this going to be released?
There’s no word about whether or not Nikon plans to incorporate these biometric sensors into their cameras and lenses anytime soon — if ever. But it’s still possible that your Nikon camera could soon notify you that you were confused while taking your photos.
