Webcams are small cameras, they are used for accessing the images by using the World Wide Web, instant messaging, or a PC video conferencing.
Webcams involve a digital camera that uploads images to a web server, either continuously or at regular intervals. It is achieved by a camera attached to a PC, or by dedicated hardware. Video conferencing cameras typically take the form of a small camera connected directly to a PC.
Trojan Room coffee pot was the inspiration for the world's first webcam, started in 1991.
Recently, Apple and other computer hardware manufactures began building webcams directly into laptop and desktop screens. This eliminates the need to use an external usb or firewire webcam.
Technology used in the Webcam
Webcams typically include a lens, an image sensor, and some requied electronics components. A plastic lens that can be screwed in and out to set the camera's focus. Fixed focus lenses, in which we can not adjust the focus lens, are also available. Image sensors can be CMOS or CCD, the former being dominant for low-cost cameras, but CCD cameras do not necessarily outperform CMOS-based cameras in the low cost price range. Consumer webcams usually offer a resolution in the VGA region, at a rate of around 15 frames per second. For better resolutions and higher frame rates of up to 30 fps, are also available from the brands like Microsoft, Logitech, and Hewlett Packard.
Most webcams feature built in microphones to make video conferencing more convenient. Webcam featuring built in noise cancellation to focus the audio to the speaker who is directly in front of the camera, excluding ambient noise.
The USB video device class (UVC) specification allows for interconnectivity of webcams to computers even without proprietary drivers installed.
Uses of a Webcam
Positive use
This technology is now available on thousands of websites world wide, making it easier for people of all ages to connect online and Communicate from anywhere in the world. People can broadcast or web cast their opinions, interests and stories whenever and as often as they wish. A person only needs to plug their webcam in to their own computer, find a web host or server to carry the live feed and instant electronic media, something you could only have seen in the past when you turned on your TV at home. The regular internet user began setting up their own webcams in their own homes and broadcasting live, something previously only seen on news channels. As more and more men and women catch on to this webcam revolution, the world using the internet truly becomes a global community, where you can see your friend or business associate in seconds and talk to them live from anywhere in the world. Yahoo and or its Yahoo messenger service integrated the webcam as did MSN Messenger. News websites such as the BBC, run their own Live radio studio webcams. Web service such as AOL and their online messaging service, all smoothly integrated the webcam into their site and format. New future technologies abound such as webcam headgear, where you actually wear your webcam and transmit it to the internet live and weather webcams, the possibilities seem endless.
Negative use
Negative uses of the webcam do enter into our everyday lives. With every home computer purchased the option to have a webcam integrated into the PC is as easy as plugging into a computer port. One can buy computers with built in webcams. Internet privacy is another concern and brings thousands of strangers into our homes, some possibly with criminal intent toward children. Children and teens under the legal age of consent have easy access to this webcam software as it comes with all the latest online instant messaging programs installed with your computer or are easily downloaded from various sites as freeware or software upgrades. Adult webcam related material is also a large portion of the webcam related sites on the internet and can be easily accessed through search engines if no parental control is enforced. On 2007-03-23, a man named Kevin Whitrick, committed cyber suicide using his own webcam from his home live on the internet in front of viewers in a chat room website.
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Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Mark
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