How to turn your smartphone into a document camera with the new IPEVO Uplift

IPEVO’s iDocCam app has transformed access to education and remote working around the world. Even during these unprecedented times, the app has empowered teachers with the ability to instantly share live images so that lessons continue uninterrupted. And with its unique features for the visually impaired, the app has allowed for inclusive and accessible collaboration across both the educational and professional sectors.

And now, IPEVO has enhanced the iDocCam app with the release of its hardware counterpart: the new IPEVO Uplift Multi-angle Arm for Smartphones.

Introducing the new IPEVO Uplift Multi-angle Arm

IPEVO’s new Uplift is a sturdy, but flexible arm that transforms smartphones into a highly functional document camera, especially when paired with the IPEVO iDocCam app. Below are the steps to transforming any cellphone into a document camera:

1. Download the free IPEVO Visualizer software to your computer.
2. Download the IPEVO iDocCam app to your smartphone and connect it to Visualizer.
3. Place the IPEVO Uplift to the most optimal place on your desk. The IPEVO Uplift is equipped with a metal base while its multi-jointed body is made of aluminum alloy, so it can be moved easily but will not wobble when touched by accident.
4. Insert the phone into the smartphone holder, which is located at the end of the Uplift’s multi-jointed arm. To do that, please use the edge of your phone to support one of the clamps and carefully pull the other clamp in the opposite direction with your free hand. When the distance between the clamps is sufficient, please insert your phone carefully. The camera of your phone should not be obstructed by the Uplift’s body and should be facing away from the Uplift’s body.
5. In order to capture a wider area, you can increase the distance between the camera lens and your desk by moving the Uplift’s arm into a more upright position. The IPEVO Uplift fits any cellphone up to 3.8 inches (98mm) wide.

With a head that rotates 360 degrees, users can switch easily between vertical and horizontal orientation. Users can also switch from showing their desk to showing themselves in an instant.

Real-Life Examples

Ross Morrison McGill is the founder of @TeacherToolkit and the “most followed teacher on social media in the UK.” He describes the IPEVO Uplift as both a cheaper alternative to a visualizer and “something worth having on your classroom desk.” Watch how Ross uses the new Uplift to enhance classroom learning:

Kathy Schrock, an educational technologist, often demonstrates how the new IPEVO Uplift and iDocCam App can be used for demonstrating a science experiment or basketball move, for creating a stop-motion animation or recorded video, and for showcasing a page in a book or textbook, among other things:

In Kathy’s words, “IPEVO’s Uplift and iDocCam make a perfect pair!”