New Camera Shows How Many Words A Picture Is Worth

Can’t find the words to describe a mind-blowing image? Let the camera print them out for you.

New York University’s ITP program is one of the most unique college experiences on Earth. It focuses on new and innovative uses for communications technology, and has produced some really awesome projects. Matt Richardson, a current student there, has developed a camera that works unlike any other – with words.

The Descriptive Camera works like a normal point and click camera, but instead of producing an image, it prints out a description of the scene. How does it work? Well, it’s actually a pretty low-tech solution. The image goes to a workforce of underpaid “microworkers,” who get paid a dollar to look at the picture and type up a description. That description is then electronically sent back to the camera, which prints it out for you. The machine defends the time that this operation takes as “developing,” which is technically true but pretty funny.

We don’t see the Descriptive Camera catching on, but it’s still a pretty cool idea.