Generative AI also comes to the field of photo restoration: MyHeritage has released in the past few hours Reimagine, an app for Android and iOS which allows you to scan old photos and have them processed by a special AI algorithm, improving sharpness, repairing any physical damage such as folds and tears, and adding color to black and white shots if you want. The application is already available in Italy on both platforms.
A very interesting detail is the extreme simplification of the scanning process: just take a picture of even a whole page of an album, containing multiple photos, without worrying too much about alignment and accuracy. The same AI that takes care of their improvement is also able to identify them correctly. The company doesn’t dwell too much on the shooting requirements, but it seems reasonable to assume that at least a decent camera will be needed (maybe it’s not exactly the project to undertake with an entry-level smartphone, in short) and good ambient lighting. Having said that, it is also possible to proceed with a more traditional upload of photos in the form of files, perhaps acquired from a scanner, which seems to be the most sensible option for obtaining the best possible results. Naturally, the samples provided by the developers show practically incredible results:
Colleagues of TechCrunch they got to test the software quite extensively, and their verdict is a bit different – let’s say, in line with what is the general consensus on Gen AIs – when they work they really impress, but it can happen, and with a certain frequency, that they are equally blatantly wrong. For example, the software seems to struggle a little more when the subjects are relatively distant – better a good close-up, in short. But even so, eye reproduction/enhancement can produce wrong results.
At the pure level user interfaceFurthermore, there is a certain inconvenience in sharing or downloading images. But of course it is fair to remember that this is a very first release and that there is plenty of time to improve. For its part, MyHeritage ensures an ethical use of artificial intelligence – all images created with the app are properly watermarked.
Reimagine is free to download, but allows you to scan and optimize a “limited” number of photos. One is offered premium subscription for unlimited use; the monthly one costs €8.99, the annual one €59.99. Here are the download links:
- Reimagine | android | Google Play Store, Free (in-app subscription)
- Reimagine | iOS | Apple App Store, Free (in-app subscription)
