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Interpolation

Generating intermediate video frames between existing ones to create smoother motion or increase frame rate.

In plain terms

Interpolation in video means creating new frames that go between existing frames. This makes the movement in a video look smoother, especially when it's sped up or slowed down.

For example, if you have a video of a ball being thrown, interpolation can add extra frames to show the ball's path more clearly, making the throw appear more fluid and natural.

The expert version

Video interpolation is the process of synthesizing intermediate frames between a sequence of existing frames. This technique is primarily used to increase the temporal resolution of video, resulting in smoother motion and higher perceived frame rates. It can also be employed for frame rate conversion or to create slow-motion effects from standard footage.

Methods range from simple optical flow estimation to complex deep learning models that learn motion patterns and content generation. Tradeoffs involve computational cost, potential for visual artifacts (like ghosting or warping), and the fidelity of motion representation.

Why it matters now

Google's Gemini Omni Flash model is using interpolation to generate and edit video. This technology helps create smoother motion and can increase frame rates, making video generation and editing more sophisticated.

Where it shows up 2 items, newest first
How each company uses it
Google Gemini
Google's Gemini Omni Flash model uses interpolation to generate intermediate video frames for smoother motion and editing.
Related terms

Frame rateOptical flowVideo generationSlow motionMotion smoothingDeepfake

Often confused with
Extrapolation
Extrapolation predicts future frames beyond the existing sequence
Super-resolution
Super-resolution increases the spatial resolution (pixel count
Motion estimation
Motion estimation is a component of interpolation, focusing o
Origin

The concept of interpolation has existed in signal processing and computer graphics for decades, referring to the estimation of unknown values within a known range. Its application to video frames to enhance motion smoothness became prominent with the rise of digital video and advanced display technologies.

Try this about 5 minutes

Try playing a video on your device and then using the playback controls to slow it down significantly. Observe how the player interpolates frames to maintain a semblance of smooth motion. You can also try speeding up a video and see if the interpolation helps maintain clarity.

Try it: Playbook entries that use thisPlaybook →

The Playbook: reusable how-tos, prompts, configs and tips pulled out of the news.

Questions people ask

What is the main goal of video interpolation?
The main goal is to create smoother video motion by generating intermediate frames, which can also be used to increase the frame rate or create slow-motion effects.
Can interpolation introduce errors?
Yes, interpolation can sometimes introduce visual artifacts like ghosting or warping, especially with fast or complex motion, depending on the sophistication of the algorithm used.

First seen on Subvolts Sep 14, 2026. Updated Sep 23, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.