Photo booths have been all the rage at wedding receptions, but more couples may soon be hiring robot photographers instead.
A couple in the UK hired an AI-powered robot named Eva to photograph their wedding at Warwickshire’s Wroxall Abbey Estate. The 5-foot-tall robot is designed to move about the room, uses facial recognition to “latch onto” guests, and then asks to take their photo.
Smart mapping of the building and infrared sensors are used to help Eva navigate the space without bumping into walls or corners.
Eva is, essentially, a robotic photo booth. She won’t replace a traditional wedding videographer, but she may be an exciting upgrade on the conventional photo booths you see at weddings.
Instead of having guests cram into a photo booth, Eva approaches them directly and asks to take their photos.
Eva, created by Service Robots, asks guests to choose from a wide range of photo styles on her touchscreen before snapping a photo. All of Eva’s photos can be printed out at a photo station in the venue, or you can share the pictures through social media.
Service Robots has made it clear that Eva was created for novelty purposes and will not replicate the results of a human photographer.
Eva probably won’t be replacing photo booths entirely either. At the Photo Booth Expo this year, attendees saw booths that shared photos through text or email links, which make it easy to share on social media. Some booths offered suggestions for funny faces or poses.
Photo booths cater to two crowds: personal events, like weddings, anniversaries and birthdays, and corporate events. Those attending corporate events prefer digital photos that can be easily shared, while those at personal events prefer souvenirs (printed photos) they can take home.
By taking photos and sharing them digitally, corporate events can generate more buzz by getting more shares on social media. Getting more people talking about the event only generates more buzz.
Many modern photo booths are more focused on capturing video, whether it’s a 360-degree, looping or slow-motion clips. Other machines have multiple cameras or employ other technologies to help users take their selfies to a new level.
Shareability has revitalized the photo booth industry, but robots like Eva can up the ante by making photo booths even more fun an exciting. In fact, a rival robot, Occo, was seen roaming around the expo and snapping photos of attendees.
