The Galaxy NX camera is a world first. Built-in Android, 4G connectivity and high quality optics make it a new generation of connected, professional-quality cameras.

We wanted to create a platform for Samsung that allowed people anywhere to test drive this new breed of device. With a specific focus on two key audiences:

- Semi professional photographers and enthusiasts; tech-minded, following the latest products.

- Mobile photographers who are passionate about sharing their images.

Taking inspiration from Nasa’s Mars Rovers, our team built the NX Rover, to put the camera in the hands of photographers everywhere: A high-end, web controlled camera-bot, with exceptional fidelity and control, delivering an unrivaled remote photography experience.

We created a NodeJS system allowing users to control both the motorised movements of the Rover (horizontal & vertical rotation plus X,Y and Z axis control) and the bespoke Android app controlling the camera (Shutter release, zoom & focus).

Photos are beamed back to be shared via the camera’s 4G connection from diverse locations around the globe.

Rover’s hardware and software was built from scratch by us and Robotics experts, Robochallenge.

We worked with a small agile team, on a budget of just £170K.

Both Rover 1.0 sofware and hardware is functional and live, having been experienced by users at more than 27 worldwide events, with over 11,000 pictures taken by users in 34 countries.

Rover 1.0 gives people everywhere the opportunity to demo the camera remotely, in real-time.

In a world where access is dictated by time and money, we let photographers shoot in diverse locations, with a low barrier for technological and financial entry.

The platform allows people to experience new products and aspirational settings for their photographs. In addition our Getty Images partnership gives them photographic expertise, guidance and support.

Rover 1.0 technology has been created specifically for Samsung to differentiate and demonstrate their unique product, blurring the lines between marketing and product design.

The art direction and design of Rover 1.0 and platforms reflected the design of the camera.

Storytelling articulated in Content and PR played a vital role. Teasers, tutorials and video content pulled people into our ecosystem and generated interest.

At each event, before taking control of the Rover, users joined a queue by authenticating with their Facebook account.

The queueing system was written as a nodeJS server app with mongoDB for queue persistence. NodeJS was also used to send all the movement and take picture signals to the Rover and Android Camera App via various Websocket ports. Users had control of the Rover for 90 seconds. Images were beamed back to them via HTTP POST. After a user’s control session expired they were directed onto a page from where they could instantly share the photos taken.

We control the technology stack. The Rover platform has proved that an Android device can be controlled remotely from anywhere in the world, which opens up numerous possibilities.

We have many long term goals for the Rover project. We are in the process of developing the next Rover which will be leveraging new robotics features, giving photographers more exciting experiences and creative opportunities, on land, in the air and under-water.

In addition, the software we have developed to control android interfaces in real-time is opening up opportunities for people to remotely demo the hardware offerings of Android devices. This is an ongoing investigation, with much potential outside of photography.

The project has been a statement of intent for Samsung as a pioneer of connected technology. By creating an innovative way for people to experience an innovative product, Samsung lead the way in this new sector of hyper-connected photography.

The Rover travelled over 10,000 miles around the world.

Over 11,000 stunning photos taken

Photographers and tech enthusiasts spent average dwell time of 9min on the site.

100% user capacity was reached on all live shoots, leading us to increase capacity at each event to accommodate higher volume of users.

Rover was featured on Sky News, the Gadget Show and the Huffington post amongst other news outlets gaining free media coverage with a reach of over 23 million.