Selfie stick

A selfie stick is used to take photographs or video by positioning a digital camera device, typically a smartphone, beyond the normal range of the arm.

The connection between the device and the selfie stick lets the user decide when to take the picture or start recording a video by clicking a button located on the handle.

[5] Safety concerns and the inconvenience the product causes to others have resulted in them being banned at many venues, including all Disney Parks as well as both Universal Orlando Resort and Hollywood.

Amateur box cameras of the period could not have captured a self-portrait in focus when held at arm's length, requiring photographers to use remote shutter devices such as cables or sticks.

[14] In 2012, Yeong-Ming Wang filed a patent for a "multi-axis omni-directional shooting extender" capable of holding a smartphone,[15] which won a silver medal at the 2013 Concours Lepine.

[23] The selfie stick has been criticized for its association with the perceived narcissism and self-absorption of contemporary society, with commentators in 2015 dubbing the tool the "Narcisstick"[24] or "Wand of Narcissus".

[25] In November 2015, The Atlantic conducted a survey of Silicon Valley insiders which named the selfie stick as one of two technologies that tech leaders would most like to "un-invent" with the only invention on the same level being nuclear weapons.

The selfie stick gives more practical use in situations that require assistance for taking photos/videos at difficult angles that need to be taken from an extended, elevated distance beyond the arm's reach.

Despite the selfie stick being one of the most popular items among tourists and families, bans and restrictions on its use have been imposed across a range of public venues generally on the grounds of safety and inconvenience to others.