Category: Imaging

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Chargers/Batteries Imaging

Jolt wirelessly charges your GoPro camera

There’s nothing like being able to share an adventure with friends and family. And when the excursions are considered to be extreme in nature, sometimes they prefer to live vicariously through the one taking the adventure through video.

Jolt offers a way to make sure that each visual story told through GoPro is always captured with a fully charged and ready to go camera. The Jolt system is made up of two parts: Jolt transmitter pad and jolt battery. The pad gets plugged into a standard outlet. Then replace the GoPro battery with a Jolt battery, place on the pad, and GoPro wirelessly charges. The pad is big enough to support charging two cameras or a camera and battery.

Though Jolt is only compatible with GoPro® Hero3 or Hero3+ or Hero4, this seems like a product that will be appreciated by GoPro users. For $89, backers get one Jolt pad and two Jolt batteries with an expected delivery of March 2015.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

DotLens microscopic lens lets your iPhone see it’s the little things that matter

With our noses inside our phones, we neglect to remember the existence of the wondrous, microscopic world that exists around us teeming with unfamiliar life.

Now Dotlens wants to create a bridge for us in the form of a 15x or 120x pebble-sized lens attachment for smartphone cameras. Its resolution of one micron gives any smartphone the ability to take laboratory quality photos of all manner of objects and specimen, from the rocks strewn outside your door to the house ant crawling on your kitchen floor. When you’re done, share them instantly using social media or attach the smartphone to a computer or projector for real-time collaboration or teaching.

Smartphone microscope attachments have been a thing for quite some time. Products like MicrobeScope and Skylight represent what most of these products are like, transforming smartphones into bulky, stationary microscopes. You even have the choice to create a DIY version for around $10 if you were so inclined, but what none of these have is the ability to be attached and removed simply from a smartphone, expanding the range of subjects because of the increased portability. The price is similarly light: $25 will get you the 120x version, a pledge that will go far towards their $12,o00 funding goal.

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Imaging

Fire-resistant Obsidian GoPro case captures your burning building rescues

Even before man ever learned to harness its awesome power, fire has had a nasty habit of destroying things. From trees and homes to personal belongings, as Frankenstein’s monster once so eloquently put it: “Fire bad.” The Obsidian is a case for the GoPro Hero 3 camera that has a different attitude toward fire. Obsidian is flame-resistant, and can withstand temperatures beyond 2250 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than actual, real-life lava. This allows for better security footage for firefighters, extreme photos and videos of intense locations, or just plain experimental filmmaking.

Because the Obsidian is hinged, the GoPro can easily come in and out of the case, meaning it only stays protected when the camera needs to be protected. It also means that all the regular GoPro features are still accessible all the other times it isn’t on fire. Obsidian has run out of money for developing the product and needs to raise $55,000. Backers can grab one to protect their GoPro from anything less than being thrown into the sun for $200 in June 2015. With a product like this, you might not have any use for it, but isn’t it nice to have just in case?

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Imaging

Cubee puts an Instagram twist on the classic photo cube

CubeeNow favorite old photographs can light up the night without the use of a computer monitor. How? Cubee takes the old 1970s photo cube idea and gives it a new twist with some back lighting, a USB hookup and an Instagram app. Users get to select five of their favorite photo memories from their Instagram account, and include them in their order for the 21st century update on the old cube. Favorite photos can’t be directly uploaded from a mobile device or computer yet, but Cubee aims to change that in the future. Backers can get theirs for $25 with an expected delivery of December 2014.

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Imaging

Swivit Pro helps a GoPro capture extreme action in the round

Swivit ProJust when you thought there couldn’t possibly be another way to mount your GoPro, you were wrong. The Swivit Pro offers 360 degree rotation for filming, impact resistance, weather resistance and stabilized footage. Swivit Pro joins the hoards of other GoPro mounts including the GoBall and GoRigit that claim to offer the best of stability and protection. It’s unclear how the Swivit Pro is any different, but at $25 it’s not too expensive for extreme backers. For the niche market of those looking to document their daredevil activities, the Swivit Pro fits right in. Swivit hopes to raise $10,000 with the help of Indiegogo.

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Imaging

Spinmount puts a new spin on the GoPro camera

SpinmountThe GoPro is the go-to camera for capturing sports and activities in motion. The Spinmount takes the GoPro and makes it even better. This camera mount allows the user to rotate the camera 360° around and has 180° pitch movement. With such freedom of motion, the Spinmount can capture any angle with ease. Spinmount joins hoards of other GoPro mounts currently on the market. Some boast stability while others claim to attach to anything. The Spinmount really emphasizes its ability to twist around in any direction. One mount will cost backers $36 AUD. This Australian product hopes to raise $16,000 AUD on Kickstarter.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

iPhone Hema-Imager add-on lets it see heat like the Predator

The Premise. The ability to sense heat visually is a technology that has existed for some time but not in the consumer space. With the number of applications that thermal vision has professionally and in the home, now there’s a device to meet those needs.

The Product. Working with any Bluetooth- or Wi-Fi-capable device, the Hema-Imager offers consumers thermal imaging at a price point that is attractive enough to be practical. Detecting temperatures from -4 degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the Hema-Imager has more range and doesn’t require constant shutter control or extra movement of the device. Whether detecting threats in a dark room or helping to insulate homes better to cut down on heating and cooling costs, the Hema-Imager is versatile enough and easy enough to use that it can tackle any job requiring real-time thermal imaging.

The Pitch. Hema-Imager inventor Erik Beall proudly cites the Predator movies as the inspiration behind the ability to create a device that allows consumers to see heat signatures using their smartphones. That sort of playful optimism is a staple of the Hema-Imager’s pitch video, while also staying grounded in the reality of how it can help emergency response crews for almost 1% of the cost of an existing device. The rest of the product’s campaign materials cover how it can be useful to the average homeowner, explains some of the components of the device, and how Hema-Imager stacks up to the competition. Beall needs $205,000 to offset the cost of buying a large quantity of the thermopiles necessary to make the device work.

The Perks. The Hema-Imager is available for $250 and will be out in November.

The Potential. There have been other heat mapping devices on the market for a long time now, but never in a package that is easy for consumers to purchase, set up and operate, and that is so cost-effective. While an apartment renter might not have a great deal of usage for thermal imaging, the applications for contractors all the way up to firefighters and police officers make this device a welcome addition to a relatively uncrowded market space. The added bonus of being compatible with devices that all consumers probably already have make the cost negligible for those that can use a tool such as this.

Categories
Cycling Imaging

Klamp smooths out the bumps in the road for extreme cycling videos

KlampThose involved with extreme sports love to record videos of  their adventures. Various cameras have been developed to help them do just that. Some attach to helmets while others lack any kind of fastening device. The Klamp works with several “extreme” cameras to capture action shots. It allows the user to film their ride in eight different ways and is designed to work with bikes. A pack of two Australian Klamps costs backers $38 AUD. While there are lots of camera arms and clamps out there, Klamp seems to offer more versatility and stabilization for capturing shots. This product hopes to raise $45,000 AUD in a month-long Kicstarter campaign.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

GoRigit lets you capture your extremeness with ease

GoRigitGoPro cameras are famous for catching awesome action shots. The only problem is that it’s really hard to see what you’re filming without the proper attachments. However, being extreme doesn’t allow for tons of camera accessories. The GoRigit allows you to attach your GoPro to your iPhone, turning the phone into a large display. This case cleverly puts your phone to good use while also eliminating the need for extra gear. It comes complete with weather and shock proofing and still lets your phone maintain its call functions. One costs backers $49 with delivery set for December 2014. GoRigit hopes to raise $35,000 on Kickstarter.

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Connected Objects Imaging Video

Test tube-like Pocketcopter captures aerial video, hearts

The Premise. Aerial video footage can be expensive and inconvenient to capture. Sometimes, however, to get the perfect shot, you’ll have to travel up to videotape the world below. This requires either a helicopter or ridiculously priced cameras that have the ability to fly.

The Product. A simplified drone, Pocketcopter is a small, portable camera that flies. Using two blades that rotate in opposite directions, this product can capture video from high heights. The way it flies allows the blades to be quiet so their noise doesn’t detract from the footage. With connection to your smartphone, you can operate the app with iOS or Android. A touch screen allows you to control the Pocketcopter along with the video it’s capturing. If the product should become disconnected with the phone, it simply floats down to the ground slowly.

The Pitch. Upon a second viewing of the video, it’s clear that the footage of landscape shown in the beginning few seconds are shot with the Pocketcopter. There’s no clear demonstration of the use of the product and the video is only 25 seconds long. The rest of the campaign explains the product more thoroughly and goes into its various features.This Spanish product hopes to raise €15,000 in a month-long campaign on Indiegogo.

The Perks. For €59, backers will receive the Pocketcopter at an early price or at a regular price of €99. Tiers go up to €260 with estimated delivery in May 2015.

The Potential. The market has several flying camera options to offer. The Phantom 2 Vision is a much bulkier camera and looks like something out of Star Wars. Similarly, the Parrot features four blades and comes with different camouflage options, causing one to wonder why you’d want the camera to be invisible. Pocketcopter is by far the smallest and most portable of these options, not to mention the cheapest. It’s minimal design and affordability make flying footage accessible to amateur cameramen. Pocketcopter is perfect for students or hobby filmmakers alike.