Google announced three “appsperiments”, which it said are “usable and useful mobile photography experiences built on experimental technology”.

The search giant’s Research Blog said the apps build on other technology in development at Google, using object recognition, person segmentation, stylisation algorithms, and efficient image encoding and decoding technologies.

Google’s approach was apparently inspired in part by Motion Stills, an app developed by its researchers which convert short videos into cinemagraphs and time lapses using experimental stabilisation and rendering technologies.

Its first experiemental app, Storyboard (for Android), transforms videos into single-page comics processed entirely on-device. The app selects interesting video frames, lays them out and applies one of six visual styles, producing comics which can be saved – or new alternatives created.

Selfissimo (iOS and Android) is an automated selfie photograph app which takes black-and-white photos each time the user poses. Images are captured whenever the subject stops moving and the resulting contact sheet can be viewed so either individual images or the whole shoot is saved.

Scrubbies (iOS) enables a user to manipulate the speed and direction of video playback to “produce delightful video loops that highlight actions, capture funny faces, and replay moments”.

Google is soliciting feedback using in-app links. Responses will “help guide some of the technology we develop next”.