The world’s first 360-degree video call device, Rimo, is launching on Indiegogo

By Alina Bradford Published October 4, 2019

Your phone is smart, but it has its limitations during a video chat. Since our phones can’t swivel and follow our every move, Rimo, the “World’s First 360° Video Call Device” is launching on Indiegogo. Rimo is essentially a base that you nestle your phone into during a video chat. The base turns the phone so that the camera moves as you do. Friends and family you’re talking to can also use hand gestures to move your phone so that they can get a better look at someone or something else in the room. All they need to do is hold their hand up to the camera and swipe in whatever direction they want the camera to turn.

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The creators of Rimo say they were inspired by technology seen in Sci-Fi movies like Minority Report and Iron Man to create their new device. It does sound like something Tony Stark would come up with. Rimo uses visible light communication (exclusive patent-pending technology), so it doesn’t need Bluetooth or any other type of pairing. You just set your phone in the base and the device is ready to go. Plus, it works with any chat application, including Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts and WhatsApp.

The technology was a long time coming. The first Rimo was 3D printed over three years ago. The original was larger and couldn’t understand hand gestures.

Rimo can also be used while making tutorials or videos for YouTube, Instagram TV or Facebook live. The face-tracking feature keeps you in the frame as you move around, almost like having your own cameraman. When you’re doing live videos, watchers can rotate the camera to get a better look at the room you’re in or the items you’re using in a demonstration. “There are many potential applications for Rimo. It depends only on the limits of your imagination,” said team leader Danny Lin, a Ph.D. candidate from the University of California, Los Angeles and Intel employee.

The Indiegogo Rimo campaign is launching today, October 15, and comes in speckled black or speckled white color options. The early bird price is 45% off of the retail price. You can learn more about the device on Rimo’s Indiegogo page.

Alina Bradford has been a tech, lifestyle and science writer for more than 20 years. Her work is read by millions each month…

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