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SnapTech: The New Big Thing

Hanna Nilles, Guest Writer

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On September 16, 2015, Snapchat introduced filter, after acquiring a software company by the name of “Looksery”. The technology that Loosery developed made it possible for people to distort their face over live video or webcam.

People loved the new features! Not many ever questioned the technology behind it. When asked how they thought the new filters worked, AHS student Billy Jungbludt responded: “The camera […]”. German teacher Brittany Logana came back with a more specific answer: “[It] focuses in on parts of body and distorts [them]”.

More students reasoned that they must use “geometric shapes” and “formats” to “calibrate” and recognize your face (Aliyah Poblete). While all this information is correct, it doesn’t quite capture the innovation in this development.

What makes this technology so unique is the user-friendly facial recognition paired with instant Photoshop. Looksery had been using it to distort faces over skype calls, in pictures, etc. At AHS, students enjoy many of the various filters. The chart to the right displays the favorite filters here at AHS.

Snapchat offers a variety of filters, including the geotag, the time /battery/ temperature/ speed filters, the hue filters and the infamous lenses. Geotags are specific to location, and are not always available. Other filters are available at any time, and are applied by swiping after capturing the photo.

Lenses are the real innovation. Snapchat uses them to add humor or beauty to a photograph, but the technology has uses that are greater. Facial recognition can be used in law enforcement or to prevent gambling, identity and information theft, or even in matchmaking.

Snapchat has not yet released any ground-breaking plans for its new software acquisition. But with Apple’s refusal to decrypt iPhone passwords for the FBI, it’s not likely that one of their leading apps (and potential partners) would lend a hand.

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The student news site of Aberdeen High School
SnapTech: The New Big Thing