Memoto lifelogging wearable camera with GPS

Memeto now has a functional prototype of their wearable lifelogging camera. It takes pictures on a timer (2 per minute), and includes the location of the picture via GPS. Memoto follows in the footsteps of SenseCam, but its size makes it much less of an "I'm a huge geek" fashion statement, while the location is absolutely critical aspect of one's memory (and is vital for finding things).

Memeto fits GPS, 8GB of flash memory, 5 megapixel resolution, 2 days of battery life, and a micro-USB port all in its 36x36x9mm package. They will roll out smartphone software as well as web-based storage.

Autographer: the latest incarnation of the SenseCam

The SenseCam, a wearable automatic camera invented by Lyndsay Williams when she was at MSR Cambridge, was a big factor in MyLifeBits and helped us form many of the insights for Your Life, Uploaded. It made its commerical debut as the Vicon Revue with very few changes to its design and targeted at memory loss patients. Now OMG has updated its look and function for consumers and released it as the Autographer.

Like the original SenseCam, it has a fixed-focus, fish-eye lens to capture your experience without worrying much about where it is pointed. The autographers has these sensors: 

• a light level sensor, so that when you change scene, such as walking through a doorway, it can take a picture of the new room
• a passive infrared sensor so that person (a warm body) can trigger a picture
• an accelerometer, so that when it jiggles it can avoid taking a blurry picture (and motion can indicate photo opportunities)
• magnetomorer: detects changes in direction, like a compass does
• temperature: temperature can signal a change worth snapping a picture (and enables a record of your environment)
• GPS: to record your location

Pictures are taken with a 5 megapixel low light sensor, which hopefully makes it much better at indoor photography than the old SenseCam. It has 8GB or storage, bluetooth and both desktop and smartphone apps to handle all the pictures and sensor values.

Wearable cameras finally look cool with pivothead sunglasses

Check out pivothead's cool looking sunglasses - complete with high def 1080p video or 8MP still image capture. The field of view is 75 degrees with a number of focus settings including automatic and fixed. A USB connection charges and transfers files.

DriveCam

This week while travelling I noticed that my Limo had a special camera - a DriveCam. Actually, this device has cameras both front and back - watching what is going on in the vehicle as well as the view out the front. When unusual forces are detected by sensors in the camera, for instance due to hard braking or a fast turn, a video of the event is kept and tranmitted via a celluar network. Speed, location and forces are all tracked and compiled into reports on the driver. DriveCam boasts improvements to safety, fuel efficiency, and a reduction in fraudulent claims.

DriveCam isn't only for Limosines and other commercial drivers - the product is also being used for teenage drivers.

Looxcie continuous loop camera in bluetooth headset

Looxcie makes a POV video camera built in to a bluetooth headset.  It continously records video in a loop (up to 10 hours long), and you can press a button to save the past 30 seconds of video. You also use their smartphone or PC apps to select a section of video from the buffer. The continuous loop approach has the advantage that you don't have to predict a special moment is coming and get out the camera in time; instead, you just click the button after the fact. 

This is a lot like the old Deja View - but without the cigarette-pack sized device and the wires. Very cool!!

Here's Gordon wearing the Deja View:

Hat tip to Clive Thompson