Robotic stand makes smartphone presentation videos more dynamic

Swivl tracks speakers' movements, enabling office workers and educators to give more engaging video conference calls and presentations.

Smartphones and tablets have almost replaced consumer cameras thanks to the increasing quality of their built-in lenses, coupled with the fact that the devices can do much more with the resulting footage. Making professional-looking content can be difficult with handheld devices, however. While we’ve already seen the robotic SOLOSHOT tripod provide automatic tracking for video selfies, Swivl is now bringing similar technology into the workplace, enabling office workers and educators to give more engaging video conference calls and presentations.

The system consists of two parts — a robotic base that holds an smartphone, tablet, or even a DSLR camera, and a handheld remote control. The stand keeps the device upright and also enables panning around 360 degrees and 20-degree vertical tilting. Users can control the panning either manually, or by setting the Swivl to track the position of the remote control and automatically following the speaker around the room. Footage can also be combined live with slides to enhance presentations, and any video can be captured and uploaded to Swivl’s proprietary cloud system to be easily shared with others.

Watch the video below to see Swivl in action:

Swivl could be useful for businesses wanting to film presentations without investing in technical equipment, or to make conference call pitches more engaging. At the same time, educators can film their lectures for making available to distance learners or students wanting to review their class. The basic Swivl robot and remote control costs USD 299, or USD 499 with a year’s cloud subscription. Are there other accessories that can give smartphones more utility for professionals and businesses?