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SOFTWARE | Real-time, video still-frame processor


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For the most part, to capture ultra-fast, semi-transparent, micro-sized and in-the-dark demonic activity—which is just about the only kind there is—you must run an HD video camera during periods of high demonic activity and then process and analyze each still frame individually for evidence of such activity. That, of course, can be tedious because not only will there be a lot of frames to analyze, but each one must be processed with image-processing software of some kind and some way to see any activity that may (or may not) be in them.

Generally, how a still frame is processed is determined on a case-by-case basis: first, by the kind of activity recorded; second, by the conditions under which the activity was recorded; third, by the quality of the recording. But, that is only after you've determined that you've found demonic activity in a still frame, and determined what kind of activity it is.

Unfortunately, that will not be known until you've tried at least three or four different image-processing procedures on each still frame; and, what's more, is that you may actually find activity of multiple types overlapping one on the other, as strange as that sounds.

Over the past couple of months, I attempted to simplify that process by identifying the most common and effective image-processing procedures for amplifying and uncovering demons and related activity—even procedures for finding the invisible kind—and then expediting it by automating the application of those procedures in GIMP and Photoshop to a batch of still frames. I continue to spend much time on this [see PICS | The Desktop of a Demoniac], and have made great gains, as evidenced by the many posts that detail such procedures and provide the means to automate them.

While that effort greatly simplified the discovery of new and key information about the demonic plague, it hasn't exactly motivated many other people to do the same. That's unfortunate, as this problem affects every single living being on earth, and will take about as many to solve; not only that, but it's such a big problem, in a way, it could be considered the only problem people have. And, yet, even after having handed people a way to uncover and visualize the problem at work (and, at work on them—personally—no less)—almost no one took advantage of the abundance of opportunity that way can yield.

So, I strive everyday, then, to make the process even simpler and faster and more effective, and this post shows one fruit of that labor; specifically, even faster, more simple, more versatile automation of still frame processing than before using Quartz Composer:

A Quartz Composition that processes a batch of still frames using Core Image
It may look complicated, but it's not, in that it requires only three simple steps to use.

To process still frames with this Quartz Composition:
  1. Plug in the appropriate image-processing patch. The links above provide a whole host of them, and encompass the entire range of your needs. Plus, you have an on-call, on-demand expert that will provide you with customized image-filtering patches to suit whatever needs you have.
  2. Specify the directory containing the still frames to process in the Directory Scanner patch. Decode your video file into individual still frames into a single directory, and then point the Quartz Composition to that directory.
  3. Specify the export directory for the processed still frames in the Image Exporter. You can overwrite the existing still frame files, or place the processed still frames in a directory of your own.
I've made it even easier than this for those who don't know how (or want) to decode video files into individual still frames. In this Quartz Composition, simply drop a video file on the Quartz Composition window, and then connect it to the Image splitter:

Drop a movie on the Quartz Composition window and connect it to the Image Splitter to process each still frame in a video in real-time
When run, the frames will be extracted from the video, and placed in the directory you specified in the Image Exporter patch:
Each still frame is extracted from a video connected to the Quartz Composition, processed by whatever image-processing patch you choose, and then saved to the directory you specify for later analysis
With this tool, a one-minute video takes about one minute to process; with GIMP or Photoshop, you'd likely start the process at night, hoping to wake up in the morning with a complete set of processed images.
You can also process multiple video files (instead of just dropping one file onto the Quartz Composition) by selecting Movies on the Settings tab of the Directory Scanner Patch Inspector window
Processing still frames from a directory of stills or straight from an existing video file is just the beginning, in that you can record and process live video using the same Quartz Composition by simply connecting a Video Input patch to the Image splitter:

This Quartz Composition will process any input—whether images, movies or live video—and output the processed media to the directory you specify as individual image files for subsequent review
Just like images and movies, each frame captured by your video camera is exported as an individual file to the directory you specify for subsequent review:
Each frame captured by the live video stream is output as an individual image file
While this is not the only image-processing template in development (or the only one that you'll need), it is the foundation from which all other templates are built. Other templates will provide the means to tween or combine frames, and blend frames as they are captured. That is essential to capture the harder-to-see types of activity, such as really, really, invisible demons and ultra-fast moving weapons.
NOTE | When something is moving in and out of the video frame really fast, the best and only way to see it on video is to combine frames; the result leaves a streak or smudge where something in the frame is moving, which is perfect when you're trying to trace movement that is ultra-fast. Tweening achieves the same thing by adding more evidence of the movement of such fast-moving items. And, by combining frames one on the other, you add more image data that, when processed, produces higher fidelity of demonic activity.
For now, you can download the Quartz Composition shown in this post from MediaFire. If you need any of the other features discussed in this post that are not provided by this particular Quartz Composition, e-mail me, and I'll forward those to you; otherwise, check back soon for links to download them.

Coming soon to iPhone
Tricorder meet iPhone; iPhone meet Tricorder. Or, so it'll seem like once I get these imaging filters up and running on iPhones, everywhere. Today (February 26th, 2015), I took one step closer to making your iPhone a demon-hunting and victim-saving machine-of-good-works:

Now that I've purchased a developer license, I can port all of my imaging filters to software I write for the iPhone; it will be a glorious, victorious day when that happens, too
It is nothing less than a miracle that I was able to purchase a developer license, considering that demons know exactly what I can do with it: that is, deploy my imaging filters to every iPhone, world-wide, with software I develop for it.

Getting the money—even though it was only $99—was hard, real hard; but, I did it, and, as of today, I am ready to start developing software for the iPhone camera that processes the images it captures through the filters featured on this blog.

Soon, you'll be able to use your cellphone to find, observe and document demonic activity, live, as it happens right in front of your very eyes. No more hiding in front of our faces!