Snapchat Secretly Acquires Seene, A Startup That Lets Mobile Users Make 3D Selfies (techcrunch.com)

An anonymous reader writes: TechCrunch has learned of a secret acquisition by Snapchat of a computer vision startup company called Seene. TechCrunch reports: "Seene lets you capture 3D models from your phone with a simple smartphone camera. Snapchat could use Seene's format for a brand new category of selfie lenses, a new 3D photo format, and potentially for future virtual reality projects. Seene scans and reconstructs full 3D geometry on your phone. Unlike Project Tango or Microsoft's Kinect, Seene doesn't need special infrared sensors and multiple cameras. Similarly, Seene doesn't need a cloud backend to process 3D scans and recreate 3D objects -- everything happens on the phone. For instance, you can scan your face in a few seconds and create a 3D selfie. It would make a lot of sense to use Seene's technology to improve Snapchat's selfie lenses -- including for advertising purposes. (Snapchat debuted sponsored lenses in fall last year, and charges a pretty penny to advertisers wanting to get their brand on people's faces.) Also last year, Snapchat acquired Looksery to power its selfie lenses. Combining Looksery's technology with Seene's technology would allow Snapchat to create more complex lenses with a real sense of depth. Think ads that people want to touch." While on the subject of lenses, U.S. inventors claim their flat lens made of paint whitener on a sliver of glass could revolutionize optics.

Comments

You just know

[fizzer06]

Sadly this will be primarily used to make dick images.

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

All those pinkie-sized white cocks being sent to women. How cute.

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

Combining Looksery's technology with Seene's technology would allow Snapchat to create more complex lenses with a real sense of depth. Think ads that people want to touch.

Well that definitely a new way to sell penis pills.

Re:You just know

[bughunter]

That was the first thought that popped into my mind: Great, now the girl you send a dick pic to can not look at it from any angle.

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

So you'll be using it to entice fag boyfriends?

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

Nah, they're too busy checking out Mandingo and Lexxington Steele to look at the GP's baby cock.

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

All those pinkie-sized white cocks being sent to women. How cute.

Ok you two, get a room already. We don't need to hear your weird sex talk.

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

Why? Did you already cum?

Re:You just know

[Anonymous Coward]

... make dick images.

So the next big thing (pun intended) will be PhotoShop 3D. Every man will want to add an inch or two. Women will also want to make things look smaller: Their butt, thighs, muffin-top.

The battle of stupid names

[Anonymous Coward]

Seene, snapchat, looksery, selfie....

Guess I'm gettin' old... *sigh*

Re:The battle of stupid names

[Anonymous Coward]

Selfie = Lonely

Let's!

[AdamThor]

Snapchat Secretly Acquires Seene, A Startup That Let's Mobile Users Make 3D Selfies

Let's make unnecessary apostrophe jokes!

Re:Let's!

[Anonymous Coward]

Apostrophe jokes are always unnecessary.

"Selfie Lenses"

[Anonymous Coward]

The end is near.

Re:"Selfie Lenses"

[Lunix Nutcase]

I think this is even more sad:

Snapchat debuted sponsored lenses in fall last year, and charges a pretty penny to advertisers wanting to get their brand on people's faces.

It's for shit like this that we need a Dot Bomb 2.0. Flush these turds down the drain.

Re:"Selfie Lenses"

[Ol Olsoc]

I think this is even more sad:

Snapchat debuted sponsored lenses in fall last year, and charges a pretty penny to advertisers wanting to get their brand on people's faces.

It's for shit like this that we need a Dot Bomb 2.0. Flush these turds down the drain.

Let it go. This will take care of itself. That idiotic sponsored lenses thing will be around until the first time it's used to photograph gruesome stuff, or sponsored kiddie porn.

I cannot for the life of me understand why "What could make this a really bad idea?" never occurs to these people.

Although it might be funny for a Chick-fil-A sponsored selfie of some gay folks kissing.

Re:"Selfie Lenses"

[Anonymous Coward]

This app might be useful if it allowed you to export the 3D model. Unfortunately it doesn't so its value is precisely zero.

Science Marches On

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

Yippee, now we can all be attention whores in 3-D!

Lens

[wonkey_monkey]

a brand new category of selfie lenses...

Snapchat's selfie lenses...

Snapchat debuted sponsored lenses

its selfie lenses.

Just because they call it a "lens" doesn't you mean you should call it a lens, when it has absolutely nothing to do with lenses.

While on the subject of lenses

You weren't on the subject of lenses. You were on the subject of stupid shitty software filters.

Re:Lens

[Aighearach]

And lets not forget... if it doesn't require specialized hardware, there is no reason at all to even be talking about the phone/camera, or selfies. It is just a digital photo filter. This is like paid-ringtones; it will make a lot of money until people who buy it realize it didn't improve their lives, and then it will fade into the background and the functionality will just be another stupid thing you can make your computer do if you're bored.