Guy makes a Polaroid camera which instantly 'prints' GIFs
Ever wished your Polaroid could print out GIFs instead of just photos?
New York-based developer Abhishek Singh did.
The "InstaGif NextStep" works similar to a Polaroid camera, simply power up your camera, press a button -- and a "picture" pops out.
Each snap takes a 3-second GIF and the cartridge that plays the video ejects automatically when the picture is ready.
Simply reload the cartridge when you want to take another picture -- though of course this means your old one will be wiped out.
You can however, connect your computer to the camera and download the images you want.
The name of the camera is also a reference to Polaroid's iconic OneStep, from which the NextStep gets its design.
Singh built the camera from scratch over the course of four weeks -- modelling and 3D printing the camera by himself, even though he didn't originally come from a tech background.
"I did business in undergrad, but was always interested in tech," he told Mashable.
"I took the plunge, started teaching myself and also attended a grad program at NYU called Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) where I could further hone a lot of these skills and build weird things."
And he's hoping to encourage others to build too.
He details a step-by-step process of how he created the Instagif in an Imgur post, where he lists every component he used to build the camera.
He's also uploaded the necessary code you need to get started.
"What I love about these kinds of projects is that they involve a bunch of different skill sets and disciplines -- hardware, software, 3D modelling, 3D printing, circuit design, mechanical/electrical engineering, design, fabrication...that need to be integrated for it to work seamlessly," he says on Imgur.
"Ironically this is also what I hate about these kinds of projects."
The InstaGif may not be the most practical, but if you've got a lot of time to spare and you're looking for a new fun project, this could be one to sink your teeth into.
Topics 3D Printing Innovations Gadgets
Yvette is a Viral Content Reporter at Mashable Asia. She was previously reporting for BBC's Singapore bureau and Channel NewsAsia.
