This fella (with the funny English Accent...HA!!!) is a modern-day, internet solution, video calling communication genius...!!! And I REALLY DO MEAN THAT! In my video calls, I get SO INCREDIBLY SICK'N'FRICKIN' TIRED of "visually" communicating with someone on the other end, who "thinks" they're looking directly at me, but in reality, are DEFINITELY not! They are ever so obviously looking at their phone, tablet, laptop or desktop "screen" and NOT either the built-in, pee-hole camera, which normally sits ABOVE the screen, or an after-market, somewhat higher quality "internet web-cam". This is so ridiculously irritating for me, especially on LONG video calls. Sometimes (just for kicks & giggles...and to test their intuitiveness on video devices & components) I will humbly ask them, in a kind & respectful tone, if they can "look directly at me & make eye contact with me" by looking DIRECTLY at their camera. Astonishingly...and expecting so...they say, "What are you talking about man? I "AM" looking directly at my computer screen! What in the heck are you taking about???" (...like if I am asking them to do an impossible task...something they "think" they are already doing! But in reality, NOT so.) I DO look directly at them, using my after-market Logitech® webcam, by utilizing a MUCH MORE grassroots, less professional, more "makeshift" means. I (believe it or not) got from my household vacuum cleaner, the hard plastic 12" attachment nozzle...the kind with the small, rectangular slit at the end of it, that is made for sucking in dust, hairballs, dust bunnies & dirt, along one's wooden floor or carpeted floor baseboard, where it meets the wall. Still with me??? Then, I stand that 12" nozzle straight up IN FRONT of my desktop LCD screen and then get a mini belt or Velcro latching strap, wrap the nozzle fixture around the neck of the LCD screen to totally secure it in place and place the hinged end piece of the Logitech webcam into the slit! Hence, the net effect, is that the camera apparatus is now "hovering" pretty much "DEAD-CENTER, FRONT ROW SEAT" in front of my LCD computer monitor!!! To make things just a wee bit easier "on-my-end", I will...ever-so-slightly...position their visual return image just mini-micro-millimeters, above the webcam fixture, so obviously, I can see both the lens of my webcam AND their return image, with hardly any variance at all. The funny & hilarious thing about this whole scenario, the person on the "other side" doesn't even KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!!! It's all a visual "rabbit-out-of-hat" illusionary complimentary FIX...for THEM!!! Meaning, on their side, THEY SEE ME LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THEM, so their brain "automatically" thinks, they too, are LOOKING DIRECTLY AT ME!!! (Which isn't that case, even in the slightest!) And furthermore, when I bring it up to them, as in, "Don't you notice I am making DIRECT EYE CONTACT with you?" They're reply is usually something like, "Ah, well, so am I! I'm looking directly at my computer screen too, looking directly at you. What's you're big deal???" But in reality, we all know, they are most definitely not. They're looking SMACK DAB CENTER IN THE MIDDLE of their screen, to view me...and NOT at their little, itsy-bitsy, impossible-to-see, pin-hole sized camera lens, which is about the size of 1/2 a flea dropping! And, of course, when I make a viable attempt to "try" to explain this whole scenario to them, 99.9% of the time...they are absolutely clueless and have no idea what I am talking about and say I putting WAY-TOO-MUCH-TIME into something my computer ought to automatically "figure-out" by itself! For after all, THEY SEE "ME" LOOKING AT "THEM" DEAD-CENTER...so they ever so obviously feel, they are too, LOOKING AT ME DEAD-CENTER...which is very hardly the case at all. This whole conundrum dawned on me years ago. I have been working in the pro-audio, radio broadcast industry, for all my life, which has alot of overlap into the traditional broadcast television industry. And I always wondered for the life of me, if TV news anchor men & women were reading their news stories or commentary from a teleprompter, OFF TO THE SIDE of the broadcast camera...but at the same time...LOOKING SMACK DAB DEAD-CENTER RIGHT INTO THE CAMERA LENS...then how in the WORLD can that be, that it "appears" they are looking DIRECTLY into the camera??? That's both physically & dimensionally impossible!!! Indeed, I learned how this was achieved...using the scenario that you so cleverly and profoundly, devised & came up with...THE BENDING OF MIRRORS...and the proper & precise angle it needed to be bent, in order to create the "illusion", that the news desk anchor was looking dead straight into the camera...which wasn't...and still isn't the case at all. It's ALL about the proper MIRRORING work, that is strategically being implemented. Thank you so very much, Mr. DIY PERKS, for bringing this all to our attention and for sharing with us, in GREAT DETAIL, your very precise solution to this age old "Eye Bending" problem! BCRadio

You are something from outer space...I love the idea. I was watching a ROpost clip from a guy using a teleprompter and camcorder...Kkkk I thought that I better see if the diy guy has something better, o boy you just nailed it. All the best from a Dane in Brasil

Its same

I watched this video several months ago, then I watched your artificial sunlight video a couple months ago, and I had no idea you’re the same guy

Brilliant

I see eye contact as a challenge

*spends half hour making eye contact camera* *mom makes eye contact without anything*

Should have uploaded this on April 1st

TRICKY TRICKY! 🤔YES WOULD BE MUCH EASIER FOR THE ALGORYTHMING AI TECH. SOAKING IT ALL UP,HMM?.😂✌

Fun fact: Apple is already doing that using ARKit in Facetime to artificially adjust your pupils live while you are video calling

whaen he tested it i didnt like the eye contact it ewas weard

ssur.cc/snapcamcowb8 Il compito dell'organizzazione, in particolare l'inizio del lavoro quotidiano di formazione di una posizione, richiede un'analisi della priorita della mente sulle emozioni. Tenendo conto degli indicatori di successo, il vettore di base dello sviluppo consente di completare compiti importanti per lo sviluppo di un sistema di partecipazione di massa. Senhores, a metodologia de desenvolvimento moderna, em sua visao classica, permite a introducao de um raciocinio profundo. Senhores, a estrutura existente da organizacao pressupoe formas independentes de implementar decisoes conceituais autossuficientes e dependentes externamente.E bom, cidadaos, ver como os defensores do totalitarismo na ciencia estao unidos em grupos inteiros de sua propria especie. As acoes dos representantes da oposicao nos chamam para novas conquistas, que, por sua vez, devem ser apresentadas de forma extremamente positiva.

Hey! Your twin brother is making movies!

"When we talk to each other we look each other in the eyes" Introverts: we what now?

What the...? Why ?

too much effort for a small reward i think

about 6-7 right arrows to skip the ad...

I see no difference. Too much work for little “improvement.”

when i saw the shroud i was like" well this looks cool" then he opened it then put it on the laptop then i said " is this a joke"?

Utterly useless but good i guess

12:30 Well one major downside would be that your keyboard and touchpad are unusable because they are blocked by the camera's side of the frame. You could instead open up the screen completely, flat on the desk, then put the box on top of that with the mirror reflecting the screen to you, while the camera is behind the mirror. The screen would be upside-down, but most GPU drivers allow you to flip that with a keyboard shortcut.

Imagine working with him a whole day

WAIT DOES HE NOT BLINK

Why would want to do this! -- the mildly autistic guy ;)

Why am i so engrossed in watching this

no

I enjoy your inventions. I can't wait for the next one! Thanks for always sharing the knowledge!

Imagine if he starts gaming

Hey that's a really simple and all. Does that scale up well ? Like for a 27" monitor ? Because I'm not on a laptop...

Woah!.... Finally, this is the solution I've been looking for.

Or... Much faster and easier to prepare, A much more accessible material, Much less cumbersome and much more compact option... You just take the same camera element and attach it to a piece of coat hanger wire and hang it from the top of the screen at eye level... I Win... I really love your videos... But boy do you overcomplicate things sometimes.

One could make the same for a desktop monitor setup. Just cut a hole in the bottom sheet and you could mount/hang a high end webcam too.

how about eye tracking using the camera and a servo to tilt the screen to an 'ideal' viewing angle?

so... its a teleprompter?

great video. looks like a TV prompter indeed … which has the same purpose

It's an autocue or teleprompt like on a tv camera.

Your mother seemed to be looking directly at me until you told her to look at the camera. She had perfect eye-contact - she don't need no stinkin' mirror!

Where does one obtain such a ribbon of aluminium?

3:51 bro you vascular as hell. Nice.

Hi , I’ve just come across your video and it’s excellent. Question concerning the LED strip you used. .how many LED’s did it contain per metre? Thank you

How about a second screen with external camera in the middle 🤣

just buy a cheap teleprompter, less hassle

My issue is I switch between laptop and sometimes a 2nd monitor. I think I’ll just grab the camera and set it up in the middle of the external monitor

The major problem with this is that you are sending a mirror image of yourself. Which people who know you will find weird unless you are a model who has a perfectly symmetrical face.

pov me watching this: o h yea i just love when i cant type while im in class

Are they DIY???,I think, yes, they are DIY perks!!!!😀👍

I absolutely love that Matt called his mum. You are a good man Matt.

Nice DIY mod. The thin webcam stuff is not really necessary (it might turn off some people who want to try this) simply because there is a fairly large gap between the lower part of a shroud and the keyboard. Unless your webcam is obnoxiously thick, you should be able to fit a regular one on the bottom of the shroud. Just make a hole large enough so that the webcam's body can protrude on the space below so that the webcam bezel is flush with the foam board.

This is great invention.

You know this already - but you've built a DIY teleprompter!

I present you the new MacGyver 😅 nice work 👍

Oh wow! this guy actually makes things seem simple. He built everything

You should consider magnetise the cam so it would snap on place easily.

I loved it!! Can you do it with a smartphone? That would be a "mini" version of this one. Keep up with the great work

Yes! This is a Teleprompters!!!

how about making a periscope to adapt over the standard built in webcam with one of those two-way mirrors at the lower point (in front of the screen)?

a reverse Peppers ghost. nice. instead of projection an image you are recording one. :)

ummm cool idea and all, but really not practical...

I was looking at that power strip in the corner.

Cool mom :)

Here's an easier way: Move whatever's on your screen next to your webcam. If it's a script, make sure the text is very narrow and big and continue scrolling so that the text is always next to your webcam. If it's someone on Zoom, make sure their face is next to your webcam. It will create a good illusion of keeping eye contact.

Impressive! Very ingenious. This is part of the equation only, ifz can't see them, I am not really making eye-contact, even if they had the same setup. Or am I missing something ?

To me, the video call looks a little laggy/stuttery. Is this normal, though?

@unnecessaryinventions

Filmmaker Errol Morris built a system like this for interviewing film subjects. “Fog of War” a series of lengthy interviews with former US Secretary of Defense McNamara who processed the war in Vietnam. Exactly for the reason you are illustrating here! Good job!!

Matt: "I'm super impressed" with my own work. Seriously? 😄

Narcissist's dream, look good and look at yourself

thats cool but it looks fucking ridiculous

personally? I'd just do the black square camera on a tiny regular mirror instead and put it in the middle/top-middle of the screen. same effect and you only lose a tiny bit of screen. also you get to be able to use the keyboard. this is nice though. much cleaner than my idea.

this is so funny lol

Down side... Can ONLY have the call... cant actually use the laptop while you are on the call... need a solution for that.

I thought this was going to be a small "periscope" with a two-way mirror that simply clips over the top of the screen and covers the web cam. That would move the view of the camera to the center of the screen. (patent pending. lol)

Wow ! Honey

That eye contact thing is nailed in FaceTime on iPhones Xs and newer, running iOS 13 or newer!

imagine wasting your time on building this and the eye contact is just the same as when you're looking at the screen.... his mother doesn't have this and she looks straight into our eyes. the only thing that's better is matt's lighting. maybe just build a ring light next time and call it a day ; )

External webcam mounted to a thin tripod that blocks only a small bit of screen. Guess I should make a video ;)

Really like your videos, but your mom looks like she’s making eye contact too but says she doesn’t, maybe just to play along......made me think of the hypnotist from “Little Britain”. ropost.info/flow/qr2hpoGKhXmQ2ow/video.html

Or! you could just look at the built-in webcam when speaking, so it appears you're making eye contact...

Here it is, Professor: an ingenious idea he had was putting the camera in the bottom - and using EVA made it very light and removable.. You can use a regular webcam in place of the one he used.

How do you prevent the person you’re talking to from seeing a mirror image of yourself, or of any printed material you want to show? It’s not the biggest problem in the world, but not ideal. There’s a simpler and quicker way to create a hinge in foam core (AKA: foam board), by making your cut to about 75% depth. The first time you hinge it open, you’ll hear the foam snap open, and the foam board will open and close beautifully from then on. A simpler solution would be to hang a small webcam, or the camera guts you got from an old laptop, from the top of your screen, at the eye position of the person you’re talking to. It can be held in place with tape or a clamp. It would obstruct very little of the view of the person you’re talking to.

what is the thickness of the two way mirror ?

but what you need to add here is which is the best webcam board to get, resolution wise.... maybe also include windows hello infrared part also

Make these dammit. With millions out of work world wide , find a place you can get them made cheap enough to make it worth your while and a price value to use and let me know when you have them ready to order.

Super cool, great video... doubles as a teleprompter reading directly from the screen. Thanks Matt. Darren - Coventry, UK.

"No downside" - just putting a black box on top of your laptop preventing you from typing etc.

We will soon have technology that can put a webcam behind a screen, making this contraption unnecessary.

P.S. I don't have an old laptop to cannibalize.

Matt, I've been trying to finish my "eye-contact" laptop helper, but I've been stuck on the camera. Its going on six months and I can not solder the little tiny wires from the camera to a harness nor can I find one that won't require it. I'm feeling a bit daft to be honest. Is there anything, any thing you can suggest to help??? I won't mind Any ideas, because I lost my mind after month 3. 🤪🤯

You could probably make this even easier if you took the lens away from the circuit board and attached it to a wire, then dangled the lens in the middle of your screen, it wouldn't cover up very much of the image and you'd be looking at the person and the camera at the same time.

well the major downside is that you cant use the keyboard with this thing on...

i though you were going to say "the first thing we will build is a laptop"

Can't wait to test this out on a big monitor...also if you don't want to take a laptop apart for a webcam you can use your phone with a free app called Iriun Webcam (android/iOS).

Te la complicaste una locura

Super cool!!!!!!!

8:18 I am one of those people who is not comfortable with eye contact, even with myself in a mirror. This brilliant contraption does not seem to apply in such cases, does it?

Maiden's hair, good call. Tough to look after, but v nice.

Here’s an idea: just look at the camera...

that's awesome !

did you build one for your mom, too? B/c she looks like she's making good eye contact, too.

The camera should be behind the screen to simulate the same result with your trick.