When the GoPro camera came onto the scene a decade ago, the extreme sports world started to drool at the possibilities. It gave fans the chance to experience a perspective that they were never able to see prior to its existence.
The sports community is licking its chops once again with the emergence of the Bublcam, which more than tripled its $100,000 goal on Kickstarter.
The bublcam is a unique bubble-shaped camera that brings 360-degree video to the consumer with an affordable price point under $600. The camera is capable of high quality photos and videos with audio. But the biggest selling point for the bublcam is the wireless live-streaming. The internal Wi-fi unit and the accompanying bublecam software open up some unique possibilities for this new technology.
This spherical image-capturing technology might sound familiar to those knowledgeable about how Google captures images for Street View, but the Bubl founders saw more potential.
So how can the Bublcam be used in sports?
Extreme sports are the first things that come to mind, especially considering the GoPro’s success in that space. Whether it be skydiving or snowboarding, the unique, 360-degree interactive perspective will give the fans an immersive experience like never before.
The bublcam could have a place in other sports, too. The popularity of the second screen has made watching sports at home almost as enjoyable as being in the stadium and this camera could add a whole new element to that experience. When watching a game on TV, you get to see the action and occasionally a shot of the crowd. The bublcam puts the user in control. Fans could see whatever they want to see, whether it’s a player on the bench, a fan in the crowd or the action on the playing surface. The fan is in control of the live sports experience, something that has never been possible.
But this isn’t just for the fans. This could also help the game itself. Referees and umpires often struggle to get good camera angles on key reviews during game play. But with multiple bublecams placed around a venue, that would never be a problem again. Officials would have an endless amount of angles that they could shift around to get the absolute best look at a play.
There are tons of possibilities for Bublcam, but will the sports world embrace spherical imagery? If people get to experience the technology and see what it’s capable of, it’ll be hard to pass up.