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Hello everyone and happy new year! We are happy to announce the release of some new ultra compact board cameras! This is an update to a previous line of cameras that featured the same small footprint, and great technology. The update features the new 20B45 (NTSC) / 21B45 (PAL) ($79.95) 14x14mm board camera. This new camera features Day/Night functionality and is much more sensitive in low light situations compared to its predecessor the 20B44. This seriously small camera is also available with a mounted Pin-Hole lens (20B45M NTSC / 21B45M PAL) ($79.95) and an M-12 lens mount (20B45M-12 NTSC / 21B45M-12 PAL) ($89.95). Also featured (in the center of the image above) is the 20RD45 (NTSC) / 21RD45 (PAL). ($199.95). This 17×19.5mm rounded board camera that was once a dual board camera (20RD8) is now even smaller! As a single board OEM camera it can now fit into a much smaller build. Also available is the option for an even smaller 13mm round board and is more sensitive in low light situations as well. All of these new cameras are a low power, reliable solution for OEM’ers. Click on any of the model numbers above to learn more. Stay tuned for more updates in the future!

Autonomous System Labs, aka Christmas labs, put together this fun clip featuring their most intuitive robots, quad-copters and even an special appearance from Rudolph the Red Nose Robot! Make sure to watch the hilarious outtakes after the video!

Mechanical Engineers at MIT have developed a semi-autonomous system that will take the wheel and keep drivers safe In vehicle safety alert systems are becoming a popular feature for drivers as automotive technology develops. From reverse sensors and camera, to self parking cars, drivers are able to rely on the autonomous features of their automobile to reduce chances of accidental bumps and fender benders – but what about while the car is in normal driving motion? Mechanical engineers are MIT have created a driver safety system which will correct the path of a vehicle that is losing control or on a collision course. With the use of on-board cameras and sensors the engineers were are able to detect and avoid sudden hazardous driving situations. Despite the driver’s actions, the vehicle steers itself around the obstacle, transitioning control back to the driver once the danger has passed.

A Wrist Worn Device that Allows You to Control Your Gadgets Ever wish you could answer a call, turn up the volume, or play your favorite video game using just hand gestures? Enter Microsoft Digits, a wrist-worn sensor that turns your hand gestures into virtual movements with the use of small cameras and IR sensors. Digits allows you to interact with various gadgets wherever you go, all from the one device. As of now, Digits prototype is a bit large and cumbersome, however developers are working to reduce the size of the unit making it more practical for every day use. How it works: An infrared (IR) camera sensor located on the device detects an IR beam emitted from the device. The camera sensor detects the distance to the user’s fingers to determine how the hand is bent. Additional rings of IR LED’s illuminate the hand to determine the position and direction of the hand. Software then uses the data to construct a real-time 3D model of the hand. Because the sensors are located on the device, the user has no range restrictions, allowing them to move about freely. What do you think? Would use for Digits?

Jump Complete! 10/14/12 On Sunday October 14, 2012 Flix Baumgartner completed his highly anticipated “Skydive From the Edge of Space” becoming the first man to break the speed of sound. For full detail on the jump visit www.redbullstratos.com Update 2: The Red Bull Stratos jump has once again been postponed. The team is hoping to launch Sunday October 14, 2012. You can still catch it live right here! Update: After delaying the original date of the record breaking free fall, Red Bull Stratos has rescheduled for today 10/9/12! You still have time to catch daredevil “Fearless Felix” this afternoon – weather permitting. Original Post: Skydiver Felix Baumgartner, aka Fearless Felix, is preparing to break the sound barrier and world’s record for highest free fall. On October 9, 2012 Felix Baumgartner is scheduled to ascend to an altitude of 120,000 feet (23 miles) before free-falling back to earth – breaking the speed of sound, and the world record. 43 year old “Fearless Felix” will float up to his destination courtesy of the world’s largest balloon, which happens to be taller than the Statue of Liberty. The polyethylene balloon is only .0008 inches thick and will be towing a pressurized capsule sponsored by Red Bull, in which Felix will be eagerly awaiting his jump. The capsule, named Stratos, is equipped with 15 high-tech cameras so the ground control can monitor Felix and the voyage. Additionally, three cameras will be fitted on Felix’s jumpsuit to collect footage from the free-fall at speeds up to 700mph. Camera technology has drastically changed from the simple camera system used in the first world record set in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, a retired Air Force colonel who will be in attendance to watch his record be surpassed. In the 1960 jump, hot water bottles surrounded the cameras to avoid the systems from freezing at such high altitudes where temperature dips well below-70°. The cameras used for the 2012 jump are very sophisticated. The systems consist of hi-def moving and still image cameras, 3 channels of live broadcasting, and high quality cinematography cameras. The on-board cameras are sealed in nitrogen pressurized housings to avoid any weather, pressure, or temperature damage. The footage acquired is very important for scientist to analyze the experience. The Red Bull Stratos is providing the first steps to developing life saving procedures for astronauts and pilots. “Proving that a human can break the speed of sound in the stratosphere and return to earth would be a step toward creating near-space bailout procedures that currently don’t exist.”

The sense of sight is arguably the most complex of the five senses. Take a few moments to consider, what if one day the world as you know it went black… The ability to see is one of the most intricate processes of the human body. Unfortunately every day thousands of people suffer eye injury or are diagnosed with eye disease, taking away this priceless function. In this video Rob Spence, self-named “Eyeborg”, suffered a debilitating eye injury that left him with only one eye. Spence teamed up with engineers and was fitted with at prosthetic eye containing a wireless video camera. This sparked Spence’s interest in bionic implants and how close current technology is to reaching what once seemed like science fiction. For more information on emerging technology in retinal implants click here.

Watch as this snake-like robot slithers then coils its way up a tree! The Biorobotics Lab at Carnegie Mellon University has created a bio-inspired Snakebot which mimics the motion of a snake, pushing the development of robots one step further. The team at CMU has focused on two models of Snakebots – one to traverse land, and the other for surgical use. Both varieties are equipped with a small camera located in the head and numerous moving joints that propel it forward. At this point, the Snakebots are tethered to a power source and are controlled by an operator, however scientist say it is not long before bots are completely wireless. Developers plan to us the larger Snakebot which operates on land, to perform search and rescue missions, pipe inspections, and other tasks that are difficult or dangerous for people to explore. With the direction of an operator, the robot can coil around a tree or pipe and use the camera to observe its surroundings. The medical Snakebot is basically a mini surgeon equipped with its own scalpel and forceps. The surgeon makes a keyhole incision then inserts the snake. The snake then navigated remotely by the doctor. The incision is smaller than the size of a US dime, reducing recovery time and making operation time faster. Thus making surgery less invasive and less expensive. Surgeons have already successfully tested the Snakebot on pigs and have begun trials on human tissue. How do you feel about Snakebots doing the jobs of humans?

Watch as 50 AscTec UAV Hummingbird quadrocopters illuminate the night sky! The highlight of this year’s voestalpine Klangwolke in Linz, Austria, was a record breaking display of 50 synchronized UAV quadrocopters performing in the night sky. AscTec Hummingbird quadrocopters equipped with programmable LED lights delivered the mesmerizing display seen in the video. The flight pattern was choreographed by Ars Electronica Futurelab company using 3D computer generated renderings. Each Hummingbird Craft was outfitted with a radio receiver and GPS that processed flight control information and navigation from the teams server. With the rising interest in UAV’s many groups have taken interest in developing projects using drones and their creativity. One particular team plans to “augment reality” using over 5,000 drone helicopters to mimic a highway bridge in the night sky.