PhotoRobot Controls Software Solution Overview & Pricing

The following documentation aims to support PhotoRobot customers in understanding the PhotoRobot Controls software solution and total cost of the system. It summarizes the goals of the software, how the solution works, digital asset management, supported file formats, software pricing, and account creation. This includes a detailed summary of the different PhotoRobot software user licenses to help customers understand the total cost of the entire system, including usage of the integrated PhotoRobot Viewer and SpinViewer for 2D + 3D + 360 image hosting.

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Note: To recap the production workflow and familiarize teams with PhotoRobot, watch the PhotoRobot Workflow Video Demonstration.

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Solution Goals - PhotoRobot Controls Software Overview

The goals of PhotoRobot Controls software revolve around customer requirements that are usually simple. With a single click, the customer needs to take a series of photos of a subject to create a spin photo, and to use as still images. The spin may capture one or several angles of elevation around the object, while the still images become hero images, planograms, and marketing shots. Take for example photos of a product’s front, side, and top views from a perpendicular-angle, allowing for the display of text in different views. 

In these cases, PhotoRobot helps to meet customer requirements through a clear workflow integrating single-click capture, post-processing, and publishing. Customers are able to capture and automatically process all images, crop with specified padding, clear or remove the background, and, when possible, publish the images automatically. 

At the same time, each stage of production is confined to strict workflow, with workload statistics for individual workers, equipment, and workplaces. That includes workplaces from one or more studios, anywhere in the world, each connected with absolute data security. For customers, this results in fully connected production lines with single-click workflows, offering approximately 1 minute per product production speeds.

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‍Note: In addition to standard tools for automatic whitening of the background (automatic tuning  to pure white 255,255,255), or providing transparent background, the PhotoRobot_controls tool also offers chroma key masking. This feature can remove props used in photography, such as the removal of mannequin stands using a key color not used anywhere else in the picture. 

The times reached can vary depending on the specific machine used and the number of images . The stated figure counts 24 images with a 50 Mpx resolution, including post-processing and online publishing with internet connectivity of 200 Mbs.

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How the Solution Works

The specialized cloud tool PhotoRobot _Controls App is the optimal solution not only for robot control but also for the entire digital asset management of your studio or company. 

PhotoRobot _Controls offers advanced features for capturing 360° degree photos, their subsequent processing and publishing on your e-commerce platform. The software solution covers the entire production workflow, allowing you to pre-define the way you photograph different product categories in bulk. This drastically reduces the time necessary for your entire digital content creation process – while ensuring maximum quality and productivity. 

• The system uses “presets” which function as predefined “regulations” which govern processes. This includes not only the angles from which to photograph objects but also the settings of studio lights, cameras, and individual post-processing tools. Thus, the processing of most images is completely automatic, all the way to online publishing.
• By default, the system incorporates barcode support for easier organization of projects. This covers the products, using pre-existing or automatically assigned codes, storage positions or mobile shelves, readiness for photos, and even instructions for controlling machines simply by reading a barcode. The result is maximum time-savings. 
• Additionally, the solution offers tools specifically for the automatic multi-angle image processing of the same item. Take for example auto-centering for products that the operator has not positioned perfectly into the center of rotation. Meanwhile, the publishing platform and viewer leverages Google CDN (Content Delivery Network) distribution of content to the customer’s website. All images are delivered in high quality and at the appropriate resolution, regardless of current server load.
• PhotoRobot Controls App does not require installation. The only thing you need is a modern web browser (Chrome is recommended) to access the homepage of the system. Then, you input your login details to access the Controls interface and work in it any time. Also, thanks to the Cloud, connection from anywhere is possible, at any time.
• If needed, it is also possible to store all data in the tree structure to be exported and transferred to a third-party system. The data is exported automatically – in a structure based on configuration parameters.

Note: Workstations to which other peripherals (cameras, studio lights, weighing or measuring systems, etc.) are connected require the installation of a free driver downloaded from your PhotoRobot Account.

For System Offers: A free version (one user, limited size of data upload to cloud) of PhotoRobot Controls is provided (including the hosting of data up to 10 GB). Credit card data is required only for full user identification.

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Digital Asset Management

In regards to digital asset management, PhotoRobot will gladly help you transfer your existing data from another system to PhotoRobot Controls. PhotoRobot Controls ensures reliable and searchable storage for all your digital assets, bringing order to your images and products.

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Supported File Formats

Supported file formats include: JPEG, WEBP, and PNG (for images with a transparent background).

Although, if required, there is also support for RAW files (using compatible cameras) but only within the local network. The files are downloaded from the camera, and then stored in structured folders. This is due to the large data-size of RAW files.

Note: As JPEG files do not support transparent backgrounds, PNG is used to cover the functionality. At the same time, the fully white background 255-255-255 created by the system can be exported in JPEG.

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Software Accounts, Versions, Licenses & Pricing

PhotoRobot Controls App software exists in Cloud, Local, and Hybrid versions, with licenses for the Power User, Backstage User, and Production User. 

• User licenses allow for various user levels depending on requirements and flexible pricing levels to help companies optimize the solution around their needs. 
• It is possible to mix a set of licenses to best-fit the roles in your team, and to minimize monthly fees related to your studio operations. 
• Our experienced support team is always available to paid accounts to maintain the speed of your production.

For the detailed price guide to PhotoRobot Controls App versions and licenses, refer to PhotoRobot Controls Pricing and Licenses.

In practice, we have developed PhotoRobot Controls not only for use by professional photographers and eCommerce specialists. It is also for workers who prepare the products for photography and provide their logistics. That, and managers who want the perfect overview and control over the project – ensuring necessary effectiveness of the entire studio workflow (and its detailed inspections).

There is automatic storage of every image capture, and then instant back up into the PhotoRobot Cloud. This is all within the Google platform, which provides the highest degrees of security and stability – as opposed to local solutions in which achieving similar standards requires considerable acquisition and operating costs.

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Total Operation Cost of the Entire System

It is necessary to determine the total number and type of user licenses to estimate the total cost of the system.

The users licenses are Power User, Backstage User, and Production User.

• Power User: License for maximum productivity in parallel production, using local capturing and cloud post processing at the same time
• Production User: License for local capturing & post-processing, cloud-based data management and publishing
• Backstage User: License for team members only managing sorting, weighing, measuring, preparation, publishing.

For example, the Backstage User license is for users who manage all activities relating to the operation of the studio. This includes receiving and dispensing of photographed objects, weighing, measuring, prep, quality control, commenting, importing and exporting data, etc. 

On the other hand, the Production User license is for users who manage the automated photography and image processing. All image processing is according to predefined scenarios – “presets.” Meanwhile, the price of the Production User license reflects the use of special graphic cards and computing performance within the cloud solution. This cuts costs which would otherwise be necessary, such as for powerful graphic stations and local licenses for computer programs installed locally.

The cost of cloud image processing, image storage & CDN is according to the total volume of image storage (data volume). 

• This cost for processing and storage decreases as the volume of stored data increases. While the data can also be periodically deleted to reduce the cost of storage, in practice, most customers take advantage of progressively decreasing prices. In this case, the data is permanently archived in the cloud.
• For extreme cost reduction, local processing and storage (on the customer’s machine) are available per request – with no processing fees charged for this. Only a computer with a powerful CPU and GPU are required.

Finally, the number of licenses will revolve around the customer according to their current needs. 

• The customer uses a customer account with administrator rights (there can be several in the system) to manage licensing. 
• The minimum is one Backstage license and an appropriate amount of hosting. 
• Hosting is not charged unless it exceeds 10 GB. 
• Licenses have charges on a monthly basis – for a minimum of one billing period. 
• The licenses can be switched ON or OFF according to the customer’s current needs.

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Integrated PhotoRobot Viewer: Image Hosting & SpinViewer

The integrated PhotoRobot Viewer and Spin Viewer is a cutting-edge 2D + 3D + 360 image viewer, free-of-charge with continuous updates as part of PhotoRobot hosting. It easily integrates into websites, e-shops, eCommerce platforms, and anywhere your products appear online.

To understand the PhotoRobot Viewer parameters in technical detail, refer to the PhotoRobot Controls - Cloud Integration Reference. 

The PhotoRobot Viewer enables the easy distribution of product content online: image galleries, packshots, 360 spins, hot spots, panoramas & more. Viewer layouts are fully customizable, with optional thumbnail navigation for different image formats. 

There is no copying and publishing files manually (or via script) from one system to a publishing platform. Instead, all imagery you capture is instantly available on the web, 3rd party platforms, and eCommerce feeds. At the same time, the cloud-based, global Content Delivery Network (CDN) ensures real-time scaling, quick loading, and pixel-perfect resolution on any device.

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System Integration and Rich API Connectivity

For optimal productivity of the entire content production process, interconnection of the system for capturing images with the customer’s existing systems is necessary. This involves interconnection on the level of the data input into PhotoRobot Controls, as well as the level of data output. Refer to the PhotoRobot System Integration & API Summary for an overview of the integration process. It includes technical information on PhotoRobot APIs, with useful resources for automation and development by technical teams.

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