Bond… James Bond is returning to the big screens this year in the much anticipated “Quantum of Solace.†We’ll see some more cool gadgets in action and some of these might even get commercialized. I don’t know if this will actually be presented in the film, but the new pen recorder is ready to give gadget cravers something to chew on until the movie gets released.
With the new DVR Camcorder Pen you can record important footage of you girlfriend doing some nasty things… OK, that didn’t come out right. Let me reformulate. You can record footage that can be added as proof against some criminal. Or better yet, students won’t ever have to right things on paper with this thing pointed at professors.
However, you can still use it like normal pen, since it has enough gel. The hidden camera that can record color video and sound is located somewhere beneath the ball point. Enough storage space is included to record 30 hours of video, you should be aware of the fact that the tiny battery only lasts for about 2 hours. There’s a 2GB and a 4GB version and the pen connects directly to your PC via USB to view the video. The 2GB version costs $199.95 while for the 4GB one you’ll have to pay $50 more. You can order one of these from the Brick House Security page.
When I got my Sony-Ericsson K800i cellphone, I thought I wouldn’t have to buy a digital camera anymore. But boy, was I wrong! Although it has a built-in Xenon flash, the integrated camera is plain awful in darker or poor-light environments. Even with the latest 5 or 6 MPixels this still remains a problem. DSLRs, here I come! But wait, what’s this from Omnivision? An 8 MPixels CMOS for cellphones, which provides enhanced quality in the dark?
<-234x60 Half Banner - left->Omnivision is considered to be the largest manufacturer of CMOS image sensors in the world. Their latest OmniBSITM chip design promises the world’s first consumer cellphone cameras sporting 8 MPixels capabilities. More importantly, the CMOS is very proficient at taking pictures in darker environments, integrating a technology called backside illumination, which allows more light to reach each pixel. Additionally, the chip uses a small 1.4-micron pixel that is able to form the 8 million pixels grid.
Unlike any other CMOS sensors which uses a “front side” illumination and where incoming light travels through many shallow layers of electronics before hitting the sensor pixels themselves, backside illuminated CMOS chips simply turn all that the other way up, so that incoming photons don’t have to journey through interfering layers before they hit the pixels. The reversed procedure facilitates the light propagation , meaning the pixels are more sensitive to light, and can be made smaller for the same responsiveness.
The first products to include the latest 8 MPixel chips are expected to hit the market in June.
Astronomy is one of my hobbies. In fact it’s astrophysics, to be more specific. Although it’s a hobby, I haven’t managed to get a good small-sized telescope yet. But it looks like there are better devices to suite my starry cravings. Straight from Imaging Source, we get a new range of affordable, low noise astronomy cameras.
<-234x60 Half Banner - left->Digital cameras are known to have problems in low light environments, but Imaging Source assures us their products use high quality filters. OK, you can’t really compare them to Hubble’s Deep Field, but each camera comes in exquisitely crafted, blue and black anodized aluminum and zinc industrial housing, weighing in at about 260 grams and measuring 50mm x 56mm.
The camera has a noise reduction piece included in the C/CS mount on the front of the camera, while the rear integrates a USB or FireWire connector, depending on the model. The product range has monochrome as well as color models, while not all of them will include a special IR cut filter. Depending on which model you choose, the standard resolutions are 640 x 480, 1,024 x 768 or 1,280 x 960. The latest low noise CCD chips from Sony are utilized with each of the Imaging Source models, offering an exposure time of up to an hour and a maximum frame rate of up to 60 fps.
Unfortunately, these cameras don’t come that cheap, as the starter model costs $350 and the price rises up to $1200 for the top-of-the-line model.
Did you know that cops in Washington DC could soon be compelled to fit their pistols with cameras that are supposed to record “gunsight†video in every situation in which the weapons were drawn? Sort of like recording a gunfight, the first person shooter way.
<-234x60 Half Banner - left->According to NBC, District of Columbia council member Harry “Tommy” Thomas has introduced a draft local bill which would compel city plods to fit their shooters with under-barrel cam modules. The bill is under consideration by the DC judicial committee.
Gun-mounted camera technology surely isn’t much of a headache to build. There even are affordable solutions on the market. As far as semi-automatic pistols are concerned, these too come with standard equipment that includes mounting rails beneath the frame that allow accessories such as tactical lights or laser sights to be attached. Similarly, cameras can easily be fitted to these, as well. The camera could be set to start recording both sound and video as soon as the weapon is drawn from its holster via a special trigger mechanism. But we know gun draws and stuff like that don’t happen too often.
The basic idea in the case of the Washington DC Police officers is that cameras could safeguard police from malicious accusations of wrongful shooting. But as the door swings both ways, the mounted cameras could also make it much easier to penalize police in the case of mistakes or trigger-happiness.
Ever dreamed to become an airdraft pilot when you were little? I remember most of the kids my age had this dream back in the pre-90’s and I admit it crossed my mind, too. But you don’t always become what you want so many of the would-be pilots are now… bankers or genitors. Anyway, in case you still want to pilot planes and view the world from up above, but still don’t have the guts or time to get on board a real aircraft, Hobby Lobby has something to fulfill your dreams, partially.
<-125×125 Button – right->This is the PilotViewFPV system, which offers a really neat experience apart form the usual RC planes you’ve seen. With this system you will be flying from the cockpit of your own model! Well, you won’t actually get on board a plane, but you will be able to see everything as if you were up there. Check out this demo clip:
PilotViewFPV system was designed for use in radio controlled model aircraft, but that is only the beginning as far as possible uses. PilotViewFPV could also be used with radio controlled cars and boats, helium balloons and kites or whatever RC vehicle you may have around the house. Moreover, if you happen to be an extreme sports maniac like a skydiver, snowboarder, mountain bikier or bungee jumper, you can now share their experiences real time with friends and family!You can get the PilotViewFPV system from Hobby Lobby for $ 549.00
