What's behind the internet's 'ghost' videos and why high-res IP cameras are the best protection against ghosts - Halloween 2019: It's haunting you! (FOTO)

Berlin (ots) -

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA19se014EA

Crockery flying through the air, dolls randomly moving their arms
and foggy apparitions moving through abandoned buildings - the
internet is full of videos with alleged ghost sightings. The
phenomenon is easy to explain, however: "Ghost videos are full of
optical illusions, technical manipulations and faults" explains a
spokesperson for Berlin-based Smartfrog. The company, which
specializes in the Internet of Things, knows its way around video
surveillance and offers a complete home surveillance package which
includes an app, cloud storage and IP camera. In time for Halloween
on 31st October, Smartfrog's spokesperson explains what's behind
supposed 'supernatural' sightings online and why a HD surveillance
camera is the best protection against possible hauntings.

Take any abandoned location, an old hospital, hotel or even your
own back garden, for example, add a weak light source, use a video
camera with low recording quality and "these basic ingredients,
adding light reflections and bloodcurdling sounds will create the
perfect haunted video which sends shivers down viewer's spines" says
the Smartfrog's spokesperson, when describing the setup of classic
ghost videos found on the internet.

Upon closer inspection, the ghostly appearances in these videos
can also turn out to be a simple spider's web dangling in front of
the camera lens. If there's a breeze, this illuminated thread floats
around and can falsely trigger a surveillance camera's motion
detectors. The same applies to unusual noises, more often than not
these are found to be the howls of neighborhood cats or hedgehogs and
these loud noises have even triggered calls to the police.

Mirages and optical illusions

Supernatural occurrences can often also be explained by mirages,
technical faults or optical illusions. "Hundreds of illusionists have
made a living from these apparitions" says the Smartfrog
spokesperson. The human brain is programmed such that it can easily
see a face where none exists. We see this in daily objects such as
grim-looking mops; good-humoured parking meters;

or long-nosed coat hooks. If you search for 'faces in things' on
the internet, numerous examples of this phenomenon present
themselves, the technical term for which is called 'pareidolia'.

There are also instances of small children claiming to have seen
ghosts, something a lot of parents know about firsthand. There are a
number of explanations for why this could happen, one is that infants
are not yet able to distinguish between fantasy and reality meaning
objects appear animated to them. As an infant grows up, the frequency
of their ghost sightings usually subsides. To help small children
feel less afraid, many resourceful parents use surveillance cameras
to prove to their kids that no spooky ghosts are haunting their room.

Video and voice manipulation

It's not just illusionists who work with stagings, either. When
crockery, glasses and vases all appear to break at the hands of a
poltergeist, it's safe to assume there's someone else behind the
action. By way of explanation, Smartfrog's representative added:
"Some people hope to make quick money by creating fake videos for
fans and followers on online media." Where double exposure tricks
used to help with photo exploitations, nowadays clever editing
software does the same for video. This technology, which manipulates
moving images and sounds, has made big advances and it's now possible
to create heads that 'speak' virtually. There are many examples of
this online at the moment which show celebrity's facial expressions
and mouth movements adjusted and controlled in a deceptively real
manner. The human voice can now also be convincingly simulated by a
computer.

The supernatural world continues to fascinate people who enjoy
scaring themselves. It means we can expect many more videos of ghost
sightings in the future but let's hope these don't take place too
frequently or within our own four walls. For those looking to deter
ghosts as well as burglars, Smartfrog has a tip: "Looking at the
videos circulating on the internet, we can safely assume that ghosts
hate high resolution cameras. An internet camera with HD resolution
is therefore the best protection against possible hauntings" says the
Smartfrog's spokesperson with a smile. Often, surveillance camera
videos can reveal the reality of supposed ghost sightings.

More information: www.smartfrog.com

About Smartfrog

Smartfrog is a tech Company focused on the "Internet of Things",
which is about making everyday objects more intelligent and connected
to the internet, enabling the user to access them from anywhere at
any time. We want the latest technologies to be affordable and
user-friendly, so that our everyday lives become more comfortable,
more efficient and more secure.

Smartfrog offers an easy-to-install and affordable complete home
security solution, so that users can always keep an eye on their home
and business. The package starts at EUR5.95 (£4.95) per month, with
no minimum contract period. It includes the Smartfrog App, allowing
users to manage up to ten cameras, a Smartfrog Cam and cloud-based
video storage.

Press contact:
Valeriia Do
Mohrenstr. 34, 10117 Berlin
Telephone: +49 15237397492
Email: valeriia.do@smartfrog.com
https://www.smartfrog.com/
https://www.smartfrog.com/de-de/presse/

Original-Content von: Smartfrog, übermittelt durch news aktuell