APPLE AI RESEARCH

Why Would Apple Release Powerful Depth Calculating Software As Open-Source?

This Depth Pro software seems to have a lot of potential uses

The image shows a vast canyon landscape with steep, multicolored rock walls. The rock formations display hues of yellow, orange, brown, and reddish tones, indicating erosion and geological layers. In the background, forested areas appear on the top edges of the canyon, with a river visible at the bottom, cutting through the valley. The sky above is a pale blue with some thin cloud cover, and the scene conveys a sense of natural beauty and grandeur. Trees in the foreground frame the view.
That’s deep! Photo by Shreyas Sane on Unsplash

Apple recently announced and released open-source code for something they call Depth Pro, which they say is able to create 3D depth maps from single 2D images in a fraction of a second. I can’t even begin to understand the code, but if you are the kind of person who can, here it is:

I also don’t know anything about the current state of the art for doing this kind of thing, but Apple says it provides “unparalleled sharpness and high-frequency details” and an article at Venture Beat says it is “an enormous leap from slower, less precise models that came before it.

If the articles I read are right, Apple’s Depth Pro could change everything from AR development to autonomous driving.

So what is it good for?

My first thought was those “See how this furniture would look in your home” tools…

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Anthony (Tony/Pcunix) Lawrence 👀
Tech and Me, Loving It or Hating It

Retired Unix Consultant. I write tech and humor mostly but sometimes other things. See my Lists if your interests are specific.