HOME videos capture treasured moments — but also many a grainy image and shaky scene, as any visit to YouTube shows.

Now people who shoot impromptu videos on their cellphones and other handheld devices may find some help in stabilizing the rough spots — or in bringing their new baby’s face into focus — before posting their clips online. And it comes from specialized algorithms more common in a forensics lab than on Facebook...

The number of people who are shooting video or watching it at home is skyrocketing, said Mary Madden, a senior researcher at the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

“The medium has been percolating through the online world at a rate that far surpasses other online activities,” she said.