Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2022 December 15

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December 15

What is a cat filter?

I asked a similar question, and found out before I asked this question that a filter in this sense was actually a "Lens". I'm not sure if there was a specific Wikipedia article mentioned on the topic and I don't see it at Lens (disambiguation) unless I am misunderstanding the description.

I also checked Filter and didn't see anything obvious. I had assumed I would have changed one or both of these disambiguation pages when I received my earlier answer, but I don't see my name in either history, and of course I saw no specific Wikipedia article in the responses to the questions.

The one article that comes closest to describing what I am looking for is Zoom Cat Lawyer but it does not link to an article that describes what is happening. Whatever article that one links to should also be on the two disambiguation pages.

There is a section on Snapchat but that's specific to Snapchat and I'm thinking this software is available elsewhere.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 20:39, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

Hello Vchimpanzee and welcome to the computing reference desk, now i assume you are referring to internet videos, pictures and memes where a persons face is a cats face, as you say snapchat is one software that can do this (and so can the camera apps in most smartphones made in the 5 or so years) if snapchat is using software licenced from another company, it should say so in the apps about page, i know there's a similar software for PC called facerig although it's not a filter but rather a 3D model animated using your webcam, as for pictures, it's often simple photo editing "photoshopping" or compositing, where the cats face is placed over the persons face, the only word i can think about to describe it is deepfake although that doesn't seem to apply to cat faces on people. OGWFP (talk) 21:08, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

I am not, of course, referring specifically to cats, but the software that does that and can change the images in that way. What would one link to for a description?— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 21:15, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

It is augmented reality. In the same way that an app can overlay a black box on a video to hide something, you can overlay a model or sticker over a video to change someone's appearance to a cat or dog or anything you like. You can also change the color, hue, or brightness of something in the video. All in all, it is simply augmented reality - very quickly altering a live video image with computer generated content. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 22:15, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

Augmented reality does not refer to modifying video output. AR is about a user experience where some electronic modifications are overlaid on the user's view of the real world. Filters and lenses are a way to modify video production in a way that's been done for decades in Hollywood -- you just film a person doing something (or film something else) and then modify it in post-production. In this case, "post-production" may entail a live filter applied to the video stream in the phone. This is not AR. Elizium23 (talk) 22:23, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

Snapchat themselves have called the application of their lenses AR, and used as so-called "world lenses"^[1] – essentially the same technology applied differently – it fits the usual definition of AR.  --Lambiam 08:43, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

Google, Snapchat, and Apple refer to effects added to live video display as "augmented reality." Google does it by translating signs in real time on the video display.[2] Snapchat does it with placing models over the user's face.[3] Apple does it with special video effects for amateur movies.[4] Microsoft refers to the dynamic backgrounds in Teams as augmented reality. So, the industry is using that term as a catch-all for augmenting live video in real time. What you appear to be referring to is a heads up display (HUD), which is an entirely different technology. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 13:27, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

Perhaps marketing has subjected the term to scope creep, but I personally feel like that's a dilution of its meaning and power. I always considered AR to be something where you don a VR helmet, (or at least you're looking through a live camera at your own surroundings) and stuff is overlaid. Like Pokemon Go. Elizium23 (talk) 13:33, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

at least you're looking through a live camera at your own surroundings) and stuff is overlaid. Like Pokemon Go. - but isn't this exactly what Snapchat does? I'd argue there's no clear difference between a lot of the stuff called AR on Snapchat and what people call AR on Pokémon GO, Minecraft Earth etc. In both cases they involve projecting something onto your live physical surroundings viewed through a display showing what your camera sees. The difference comes mostly from the way users generally use them. Most people interact with AR games as a form of live interaction and with the rear camera whereas people are generally using Snapchat to make a video or picture and often with the front camera i.e. in selfie format (so as a sort of mirror rather than what they're seeing). However you're free to just open Snapchat and use the AR to have fun with no intention to take a photo or video and AFAIK with most Snapchat lenses or whatever they call them you can use the rear camera rather than front one. And I'm sure some people do this especially when with friends. And occasionally people use AR games more or less solely to produce something to be shared see e.g. [5] although I think with most games using the front camera is rare or not supported. Nil Einne (talk) 10:52, 17 December 2022 (UTC)

We do have an article Google Lens using the term "lens", and an article Mixed reality that is about the general concept but does not use the term "lens" (except in the compound Microsoft HoloLens, which however mainly refers to a hardware item).  --Lambiam 08:53, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

Google Lens is something else. I know this is a concept that needs a Wikipedia article or at least a way to link from disambiguation pages.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 16:11, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

We have Filter (social media) and Beauty filter. I think I'll edit a link into Zoom Cat Lawyer. These pages are linked to in the Filter disambiguation (at the bottom, under Social Media). I added the Filter (social media) page to the Lens disambiguation, and created a Computing section since we now have three software-related meanings.  Card Zero  (talk) 01:36, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

Shouldn't the two social media concepts be under computing on the Filter page?— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 18:54, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

I guess not, since Computing there is a subsection under Science and Technology. It's debatable. I moved it and put it under the Arts and Entertainment section.  Card Zero  (talk) 19:12, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

It's under "Computing" for Lens. I still say because it's software it belongs there. That's where people would look.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 20:51, 18 December 2022 (UTC)