If you want to document the progress of a 3D print as a time-lapse video, you usually need an SLR camera, a 3D printer with an integrated camera or webcam, and a control unit like Raspberry Pi. But it can also be done much more cheaply, as a new project by maker Matt@JemRise shows: Discarded smartphones can be used to create high-quality 3D printed time-lapses.
The concept uses old smartphones running Android or iOS, which are connected to a Raspberry Pi via Bluetooth. Python software on the Raspberry Pi then emulates a Bluetooth keyboard and sends trigger commands to the phones.
This allows the smartphones’ cameras to be triggered simultaneously to capture image sequences of the printing process. The Raspberry Pi coordinates the timing based on the G-code data for the 3D printer.
According to the developer, this is a simple and inexpensive way to record multiple camera perspectives. The image sequences are then downloaded from the smartphones and merged into a time-lapse video in the Kdenlive video editing software.
The advantage of the concept lies in the use of technology available in most households. Smartphones have high-resolution cameras that can be used as time-lapse cameras via remote software control.
As the project’s sample video shows, very good image quality is possible with the approach. In addition, the multi-camera recording allows different perspectives to be depicted and combined in one video.
According to Matt@JemRise, the project is completely implemented with open source software. The program code and detailed step-by-step instructions are to be published soon on the GitHub platform.
On YouTube, he provides a video of his development:
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