Smartphone stabilizers help combat the awkward grip that arises when shooting with a smartphone — but one startup is aiming to add more than just stability. The Smove is a smart stabilizer capable of automatically shooting 360-degree panoramas and tracking faces — and it doubles as a backup battery.
With over two weeks left on the stabilizer’s Indiegogo campaign, the Smove has already smashed through the initial $20,000 funding goal, and has raised over half a million dollars to fund production costs.
The Smove works to stabilize handheld smartphone videos both vertically and horizontally, even while shooting on the move. But while there are a number of smartphone stabilizers and grips on the market, the Smove is also motorized, which allows it to automatically turn and capture a 180 or 360 panorama by rotating the phone around the base.
That same motorized base also allows for an auto-follow feature. When the smartphone camera detects a face, the Smove can be set up to keep that person in the frame, using the motorized base to follow their movements and keep them in the footage.
Since the motorized face-follow and 360 features require a built-in battery, a simple micro USB port and cable allows users to siphon off some of that built-in 5,200mAh battery to charge their smartphone while recording. Designers say the Smove will last for up to six hours of continuous use.
Smove, compatible with iPhones from the 5 to the 7 Plus as well as all Samsung Galaxy phones, folds for easily stashing in a bag or even a pocket.
The motorized stabilizer is expected to ship to backers in December, with the initial production run already in progress. Pledges for the smart stabilizer start at $119 — $130 off the expected retail price. The Smove stabilizer is the first Indiegogo from the company of the same name, which is based in New York.
