zoom zoom

In videoconferencing, many users simply use an all-in-one device such as a laptop or tablet or portable telephone receiver. These devices nowadays are usually supplied with a fixed camera facing in the same direction as the screen. The result is that their remote interlocutor often has a nice view of the architrave behind them, with their eyes and nose just visible at the bottom of the screen.

This idea requires a two-pringed approach, requiring manufacturers to install improved hardware innovations with a common control protocol, and for videoconferencing software to incorporate the necessary controls to use the hardware.

The way this works is that user A (let's call them Aethelstan) is having a video call with user B (let's call them Belinda Murcheson MacSkellig). Belinda looks at her screen, and sees an image produced by Aethelstan's device's built-in camera. Of course, because Aethelstan is a bit stupid, his camera is pointing above his head and Belinda can only see his eyebrows. So she clicks on her screen on the "tilt down" button, and the camera on Aethalstan's device gradually lowers its field of view until his handsome visage is presented to Belinda's satisfaction. He is a bit close to the screen though, so she clicks "zoom out" and he receeds until he appears sufficiently small.

There are two possible mechanical implementations of this on Aethelstan's device; it does not affect Belinda's interaction with the system. The low-tech solution is for Aethalstan's machine to be fitted with a high-res wide-angle camera, and for the image to be cropped according to Belinda's manipulations of the controls. The second way is for Aethelstan's device to be fitted with tiny servo-motors which physically tilt and zoom the camera.