Digital life style guru Naoki Sakai talks about Nikon's 3D digital photo frame

On 26th October, NikonAnnouncing a new service "my Picturetown 3D" that can convert 2D photos to 3D and enjoy them with digital photo framesThen, use it there3D digital photo frame equipped with Android OS "NF-300i"Was issued.

At the recital, it is a master of digital lifestyleNaoki SakaiTalked about the future image of this digital photo frame.

In addition, I will also tell you the state of Q & A response by Nikon's product development team.
Guest Naoki Sakai became a big hit productNissan · Be-1We are researching communication and design at Kei University's Naoki Sakai Laboratory, including a camera, mobile phone, furniture, cosmetics, etc. In addition to using five PCs at home, it seems that it is also a master of digital lifestyle who is using various digital products.


Sakai:
Thank you.

Moderator:
I'd like to ask about my "Picturetown 3D" while looking at the actual 3D digital photo frame. This time, Nikon will start a service that will convert 2D photos to 3D, what is your impression?

Sakai:
First of all, the freedom to see without glasses is very good. I feel that the 3D I've ever come out before, but this is the feeling of the depth of the depth can be like a window. Whether there is no break or the range of imagination, it is deep, is not it? I thought that the size is interesting, is not it?


Moderator:
Is there also a thing transmitted because it is still a 3D image?

Sakai:
of course. This is a picture of my old company, before Figaro, there is a tree behind, there is a company in the back. really nostalgic. It looks more nostalgic than it looks in 2D when viewed in 3D.


Moderator:
Even the impression and feeling will make a difference again. What kind of thing do you think that 2D was changed to 3D now?

Sakai:
I am experimenting at my university now, but it is difficult to say how it is called UI in the air. Even with this image, the car seems to float, but if you are watching the floating image with the finger touching with the camera, sensor, it can be a switch. Then it is very fun to interact various actions in a state that the touch panel is not stained at all with fingerprints. To be extreme, you can play chess. In short, the image of the piece will float above the chess board placed on the plane. Hold it and move it to the next place. How about Otsuki-san, please (laugh)


Moderator:
While having a feeling that it actually moves 3D images, in fact they do not touch anything, so do not get dirty. If you are concerned about the dirt on the touch panel, you can think very widely.

Sakai:
I think that it is very interesting that there is a switch of the interface in the image. This digital photo frame also has a switch on the outside, but all of that also goes into the image. Do you mean that you can communicate between real space and void space?

Moderator:
Indeed, it seems like we can expect such developments too.

Sakai:
I think that it is also good for e-commerce. Although shopping is not quite realistic, there is no motivation to buy it, but in that sense there is a totally different benefit from the plane.

Moderator:
It may evolve around digital signage.

Sakai:
Well, digital signage is nice.

Moderator:
This new service, being converted to 3D via the network, it means that you do not need a dedicated camera (at the time of shooting), but what about thinking about the charm of a network service that is not tied to dedicated equipment Is it?

Sakai:
I am also using a digital photo frame, an ordinary guy, but the most troublesome thing is exchanging content. I'm thrusting in an SD card, but it's unexpectedly troublesome. After all, connect it with WiFi, for example, if you take an image taken with the camera first on the PC today and this and this into 3D, it comes into the digital photo frame.


Moderator:
Is it also possible to use it like a remote control? Send the image you want to convert at home PC. For example, you can say that you can see it with the digital photo frame of the opponent you gave it to you.

Sakai:
Is not it the best if it makes me feel like I can see it in 3D if I get ordered in the morning?

Moderator:
I agree. I think that handiness will become important too. Expansion through the network, I think that there are many, but because you do not need a dedicated camera, you can use the photos I have taken so far.

Sakai:
I agree. Of course this is also an ordinary photograph, of course. That's why it's so nostalgic when you make an old photo in 3D.

Moderator:
A picture that can not be taken in the future, a photograph taken until now can not be reproduced. It's nice to be able to 3D such things. More memories will be clearer.

Sakai:
It is troublesome to have the camera for 3D and 2D, so it is very good to be 3D without it.

Moderator:
Until now, if you do not have a 3D camera, you think that there was something that you could not make 3D images on your own, but from now on it will be easier for you to participate in various people.

Sakai:
Those who have as few hardware as possible are happy for those who use it.


Moderator:
It is a nice service to use. This is the actual digital photo frame that I rent to members, but what about using Android OS?

Sakai:
I mean that there are so many manufacturers making Android OS good. There are dozens of companies in the world at mobile manufacturers. If manufacturers allow it, it is wonderful for consumers to make excellent applications without permission. It is the most interesting part of Android OS that the ecosystem that we are producing is born around Nikon products.

Moderator:
Indeed it means that not only companies but also general people can enter.

Sakai:
Companies in Japan like in-house production, so there is no idea to combine with outside. Every company. So, that kind of thing is released by the Android OS, and various participants are born. Various users participate in Nikon's service, business is born there and service is born there. Then, I think that usage like the one the manufacturer did not think will be born in the Android application in 3D.

Moderator:
Because this NF300i is also an Android OS, from now on it will have various ways of spreading, new usage will come out.

Sakai:
Especially SNS, twitter is popular now, but twitter is still characters. Next time I think that communication such as sending pictures, communication like a postcard comes out, so I think that there is 3D in that.


Moderator:
I think that competition will intensify as such things come out, but do you have any expectations for Nikon's digital photo frame in competition?

Sakai:
Even when the competition becomes intense, the superior products and services will survive, so I think it would be better to have more participants. Because you are the customer to choose.


Moderator:
I agree. Is expectation bigger?

Sakai:
Because Nikon has stock of knowledge of photographs.

Moderator:
For Mr. Sakai himself, in terms of pleasure, how do you want to use this NF 300i?

Sakai:
After all the movie is quite funny. I'd like to put all my hobby cars. Are you going to bag and grandchild again?

Moderator:
People and landscapes are nice, and such cars are also nice.

Sakai:
Ultimately I expect the next product like the chess which I said earlier, like the interface floating in the air, will come out now.

Moderator:
It is expected not only as a digital photo frame but also as a communication tool.

Sakai:
The touch panel that we are using now means that the screen inevitably gets dirty. If it has a switch in the air, it is very nice to be able to use the beautiful liquid crystal without being totally dirty. Particularly where more than one person uses it, something is public.

Moderator:
Not only use as an individual but also use in public scenes comes out.

Sakai:
It is a ticket vending machine. There is a digital signage vending machine at Shinagawa station, but since it is a touch panel now, that is to make it 3D. I think that it also fits e-commerce in that sense.

Moderator:
It will be time soon, but at the end what?

Sakai:
Another thing I think is the possibility of a car navigation system. Although it is now a plane, you can not express it on a flat surface, such as when you raise up with a crossover point, or downside down. If it is 3D, you can show the road as a solid, so I think that the level a little more goes up.

Moderator:
Is it like a highway entrance, diagonally going to the upper right, going to the left?

Sakai:
I agree. I think that it will be interesting if you can express space.

Moderator:
Mr. Sakai, I had a very interesting story today, thank you very much. It was Naoki Sakai.

A question-and-answer session was held following Sakai's story. Respondents were Mr. Tadaya Osuki, Project Leader, Nikon Imaging Company Company, Mr. Tetsuya Morimoto, General Manager, Marketing Division 2nd Marketing Division, Takuya Moriguchi Public Relations Department Public Relations Division Manager.


Moderator:
Well then, if you have any questions, please raise your hand.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun:
My name is Sakimori of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. I have three questions, but I think that you can answer one question at a time. First of all, please tell me in a bit more detail how we are converting 2D to 3D.

Otsuki:
Although it is a technology to convert to 3D, in general, when you say 3D, Z value and depth data is required. There is no depth data for photos at all. However, since objects may be hidden, depth data and Z values ​​are made in a pseudo manner. Those appearing on the surface have a small Z value, while hidden objects have depth, so we have a high Z value. For other lakes and oceans, we convert it to actual 3D by placing flat ones in a way called plain.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun:
The second point, please tell me the reason why you did not make digital photo frame the form of sales.

Otsuki:
Regarding this thing, I want you to connect to the Internet, and it is main that I want you to download 3D photos. I do not sell it in the sense that I will definitely create an environment that can connect to the Internet. And that is Android OS, we are looking at future extensibility, we are not selling because we would like you to purchase new applications and software rather than buying by customers.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun:
In the current story, I think that you can purchase downloads and applications on sale?

Otsuki:
Yes. However, in order to create a situation where there is an Internet environment more certainly, if you are a member of "my Picturetown 3D", we are using a business model called membership system as it is certain that you have an Internet environment.

Japan:
Third, Mr. Sakai has already mentioned the extensibility of Android OS, but what about the possibility of releasing the application platform?

Otsuki:
We are currently considering, I think that we will release something like SDK. Although it is not yet decided when to release it, I'd like to provide a development environment for applications that run on Android in the near future.

Nihon Keizai Shimbun:
Thank you very much.

Yamada:
My name is Yamada. I think that it is a very interesting and promising service, but I have three questions. First of all, how long will it take to process 2D images after raising them to the net? Then, even if it is not 3D, who would like to enjoy photos in "my Picturetown" only via 2D network would cost 20,000 yen per year? Is it related to that, will it be paid in annual amount even in the form of presenting a digital photo frame?

Otsuki:
Regarding 3D conversion time, there are things that it is easy to make 3D by photo, it is hard to do, as early as a few minutes, if it is a long one it can take several hours. The biggest factor is how many customers are applying for 3D conversion from customers. If you can do it automatically, you can do it in a few minutes, but as it gets manual it will take a long time to accumulate the image to be processed. We are still uncertain about this ratio.

Secondly, it is possible to see 2D images with NF 300i. In that case as well, it costs 19,950 yen per year. In fact, this product is mainly thinking to use 3D, so if you want to use the network only with 2D, there are existing products and network compatible products, so use this We would like to have it.

Regarding the gift demand for the third question, if you are giving away to grandparents, grandmothers while using them, you can transfer the data to another photo frame. In that case too, if 2 units are used, it costs 2 membership fee, so it costs membership fee to convert to digital photo frame and 3D, so even if you give a present, membership fee It has become a form to come over.

Yamada:
Another thing, another thing that is difficult to convert 3D, and as a result comes out something like "Is not this?" Is it still necessary to pay the money? Even if the conversion effect of 3D can not be satisfied, will it not respond to refund etc?

Otsuki:
We will check the 3D conversion as if it is okay with this, so I would like to enjoy paying membership fee.

Kyodo News:
I am Kyodo News Inoue. There are two questions, NF 300i is a loan, but after registering first, if you want to stop the service once, will not you see the converted 3D so far?

Otsuki:
If you subscribe to the monthly membership monthly at 1,995 yen, you can convert to 3D on a monthly basis, but 3D pictures remain on "my Picturetown" even if they are canceled. However, NF 300i will be returned so you can not view 3D images. It seems that if television etc. responds to the format in the future, it will not be that way.

Joint:
Another thing, rare earth import from China seems to be stalled, but how is the impact on your company?

Moriguchi:
As you may know, our products use lanthanum as the glass and cerium as the abrasive for the glass, but we have not had any impact on them at the moment. Since there is still sufficient volume, business has not been affected, but since we think that it is difficult to supply considerably in the future, we can not increase the number of new suppliers while watching the situation, We are considering countermeasures such as whether to reduce the amount used at one time.

Moderator:
Then, I will end the question and answer above.