A web camera (or webcam) is a real time camera whose images
can be accessed using the World Wide Web, instant messaging, or a PC video
calling application. Generally, a digital camera delivers images to a web
server, either continuously or at regular intervals.
A webcam is also the name of a class of video camera devices which connect
directly to the PC for the purpose of video calling over the internet.
The first webcam was pointed at the Trojan room coffee pot in the computer
science department of Cambridge University. This webcam is now defunct, as it
was finally switched off on 22 August 2001. The final image captured by the
camera can still be viewed at the webcam's homepage.
Initially intended for personal videoconferencing, it was quickly realized that
World Wide Web users enjoyed viewing images from cameras set up by others
elsewhere in the world. While the term "webcam" refers to the technology
generally, the first part of the term ("web-") is often replaced with a word
describing what can be viewed with the camera, such as a nestcam or streetcam.
Today there are thousands of webcams that provide views into homes, offices and
other buildings as well as providing panoramic views of cities (Metrocams) and
the countryside. Images from satellites are frequently posted on the World Wide
Web. Webcams are also used to monitor traffic with TraffiCams, the weather with
WeatherCams and even volcanoes with VolcanoCams.
As webcam capabilities have been added to instant messaging text chat services
such as Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), MSN Messenger and Skype,
one-to-one live video communication over the internet has now reached millions
of mainstream PC users worldwide. Increased video quality has helped webcams
encroach on traditional video conferencing systems. New features such as
lighting, real-time enhancements (retouching, wrinkle smoothing and vertical
stretch) can make users more comfortable, further increasing popularity.
See Over 1.000 More Webcams
Many companies have tried to jump on the 'live video' bandwagon, most notably 'vdolive'
(an Israeli company), Spotlife (a Logitech daughter company) and many others,
most of these have since failed.
In astrophotography, webcams are a popular tool among amateurs (see also amateur
astronomy) for speckle imaging or lucky imaging techniques. The webcams is
attached to a telescope via a custom-made adaptor, and usually used in
conjunction with barlow lenses and IR/UV cut-off filters. Video feed from the
camera are then uploaded to a computer for processing.
In mid-January 2005 two easy to use Google search strings have been published in
an on-line forum. These can find thousands of Panasonic- and Axis-made high-end
web cameras. Most of such cameras are running on default configuration, which
does not require any password login or IP address verification, thus once again
generating public controversy over webcam privacy issues.
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