You're about to get a whole lot better looking.Spectral Edge, a U.K. startup, has formulated a mathematical technique to improve photographs by blending data that's taken with a standard camera lens with an infrared snapshot of the same subject. The technique adds color and depth to the photo.This technique is called Phusion and is very good at making details sharper in scenes with over-exposed elements or on a hazy day. This technology also has a side-effect of "airbrushing" photos of people because the infrared filter reduces the visibility of blemishes on your skinYour Tinder profile is about to get ridiculous.

Is it Magic?

spectral-2The short answer is no.Phusion brings more detail to an image by cutting through elements that are usually not penetrated by visible light when you're using a normal camera.So, when you're taking a picture that has some fog in the shot, infrared light can cut through and work to combine with the normal image to make a remarkable photograph.The military has been using this technology for quite awhile, but they've only used it to identify targets. In the rest of the world, Phusion is being used more and more to create visually appealing images.

Ok, Good Will Hunting. What's the math behind all this?

spectral-3The technique used is "mapping the rate of change across the entire scene using differentiation calculations."OK, let's try that again.The pictures are transformed by using gradient space. Every pixel is getting differentiated in multiple dimensions.So, an even shorter way to say it is that pixels are changing but they aren't losing their integrity, which leads to a preserved photo.

What's Next: Infrared is coming to a phone near you

To be used on a mobile device, an infrared sensor would be needed. Some smartphones, such as Google's Tango device, already have this feature. We could see this come standard on phones in the very near future. However, this technology doesn't function on a mobile device in real time just yet.Looks like your Tinder profile will have to wait.Do you have any smartphone photography tricks?Let us know in the comments below!Image credits: spectraledge.co.uk and CNET.com

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Using Samsung's model/serial number location tool

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