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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.

This high-definition video shows the descent onto Mars from the bottom of the Curiosity rover. Watch as the heat shield is released and the unit kicks up space dust to make its first step onto Mars. Source: Wired.com

An emerging imaging technology coined “Femto-Photography” boasts the ability to capture light traveling at one trillion frames per second! Ramesh Raskar of MIT explains how this type of photographic technology captures the speed of light in slow motion. According to Raskar, femto-photography is the gateway to the capability of seeing around corners, beyond line of sight, and even see within the body. Applications for this technology include search and rescue, vehicle collision avoidance, robotics, and endoscopic medical treatments in situations that involve looking for, and avoiding obstacles in the body. Femto-Photography Inspiration Tomato Test The Raw Data Coke Bottle Test Scene Light in Slow Motion 1 Light in Slow Motion 2 Raskar tested this method with the use of a water filled soda bottle and a laser pointer. Compiling the multiple frames, researchers created a time lapse video showing the path of light through the bottle from end to end. By slowing down the frame rate to ten billion FPS, you are able to see the beam pulse through the water. Once the light reaches the cap it scatters, as a result you see the light disperse back through the bottle and onto the table surface below. Amazingly when the beam makes contact with the cap and reflects backwards it causes the water to subtly ripple, showing the force of the lights movement. This experiment is captured in less than a nanosecond, which is the speed of light. We invite you to get the full affect of this technology by watching the video above. Sources: MIT.edu / Mentalfloss.com

NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity has finally reached the Red Planet after its eight month, 354 million mile journey on August 6, 2012. We’ve received our first few glimpses of Mars after the dramatic landing of the Curiosity last week. The first images of the Martian landscape were taken by two navigation cameras on the rover’s mast. Many people are surprised to find out the main cameras on the Curiosity are only 2MP with only 8GB of memory, Compared to most modern cell phones which house 8 to 12MP cameras, it would seem that the Curiosity is behind on the times. c/o mars.jpl.nasa.gov This left many people questioning, why would NASA take such a measly camera on their 2.5 billion dollar vacation to Mars? Camera project manager Mike Ravine explains, “These designs were proposed in 2004, and you don’t get to propose one specification and then go off and develop something else. 2MP with 8GB of flash didn’t sound too bad in 2004.” The cameras differ in the matter of their optics but are all built around the 2MP platform to ensure all the cameras were uniform and operating properly during testing. In addition, it takes an exceptional amount of bandwidth to transfer the images back to Earth. The Curiosity is allotted 250 megabits of use per day which is shared among all of the devices on the rover, leaving minimal bandwidth for image transfer. On the rover energy conservation and timing of the cameras are everything. The MARDI, or downward pointing camera had a two minute window for it to capture photos while descending on the planet. To ensure the MARDI accomplished its task the team selected a 720p HD camera which delivers a high frame rate without drawing too much power. “We also looked at a 4 MP sensor but it would have run around half as fast. And the state of CMOS sensors wasn’t credible in 2004. They’re an interesting option now, but they weren’t then.” says Ravine. Additionally, NASA was forced to cancel a zoom lens project for the Curiosity due to complications while manufacturing the system. The devices consumed too much power while introducing wet lubricants and heat to keep the lenses functioning properly in times of extreme cold and heat. Ravine planned to use 6.5-100m zoom lenses which they would have set to the same focal length to create 3D images. NASA has begun to receive beautiful high-resolution color photos from the rover’s 34 millimeter Mastcam. Panoramic photos have been transmitted showing landscape images that are similar to the Earth’s deserts. The placement of rover’s cameras allow NASA to monitor the physical state of the Curiosity as well as its surroundings. The Curiosity is in excellent condition after landing, however it will have to endure violent sand storms and harsh climate changes that Mars is notorious for. The Curiosity will live on Mars for one Martian year which is equivalent to about two Earth years. During this time the rover will perform many tests to see if the planet is, or ever has been, favorable for microbial life. Curiosity will begin testing in the upcoming weeks on soil and atmosphere samples. Sources: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ http://www.nasa.gov

We tested our 33X Zoom Lens from the rooftops of New York City. Check out the unbelievable detail and capabilities as we zoom in from over 2.6 Miles (13,800ft). You won’t believe the clarity and zoom of our Infrared Corrected, Day/Night OEM lenses! We used our HIR15-500M, 3 Mega Pixel, 15-500mm, Infrared Corrected, Auto-Focus, Motorized Zoom Lens to view the Empire State Building, MetLife Building, and a roof top party on the east side of Manhattan. We attached this lens to the Hitachi KP-D5010 High Resolution Day/Night camera to test the range and visibility using the various modes of the camera and this powerful lens. We also demonstrate its patented Auto-Focus feature. This lens is made using SD Glass (Special Low Dispersion Glass) to focus both the visible and infrared light onto the same focal plane (CCD Image Sensor). The SD Glass greatly reduces Chromatic Aberration, preventing muddy and “out of focus” images in “all” lighting conditions. SD Glass is a much higher quality low dispersion glass then the commonly found LD Glass (Low Dispersion Glass) used in consumer model Day/Night lenses. Features of this lens include: Optical Corrected Design Using SD Glass 3 Mega Pixel Clarity (No Spot Filter) Automatic Thermal Compensation System Motorized Selectable Filter System Auto-Focus Auto-Iris (Optional Spot Filter – F3.0-800) Presets RS-485/RS-232C Control Option

The 2012 Olympics are right around the corner, and we’re showing you what new photographic technology will be used at this summer’s games. It’s that time again, the Summer Olympics are almost here. This summer London hosts the highly anticipated games, bringing the world’s top athletes together to compete for the gold. We wanted to know what OEM, or Original Equipment Manufactured Cameras, will show up. Well we found a few, and we like what we see so far! Robotic cameras created by Reuters can go where photographers can’t during the event. As seen in the action shots above, they capture truly stunning images and movement. “I have been developing since the 2009 Athletics World Championships in Berlin a new technology, which enables Reuters sports photography to shoot pictures from unusual angles,” photographer Pawel Kopczynski says. For the 2012 Olympics, these shots will be captured via robotic cameras mounted on roofing trusses and robotic mounts. The cameras will be controlled by an operator or photographer below who can adjust the zoom and angle by using a joystick. To view the full article on Reuters Blog click here

With the help of high definition OEM cameras photographers and scientists from BBC have taken a peek into a world where most are not welcome. The result, amazing footage of animals in their natural habitat. Below are a few versions of the camouflaged devices. Can you spot the camera? The images above were captured while filming BBC’s “Tiger – Spy in the Jungle” and “Trek – Spy on the Wildebeest”. The crew was able to create these inconspicuous cameras and get closer than ever before. They even got some assistance from an elephant cameraman! In the series “Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice”, BBC deployed their cameras Snowball, Drift, Blizzard, and Iceberg to get a closer look into the life of these ferocious yet playful animals. As you can see by the picture above, these bears were a little suspicious of the intruders. Sources: For “Tiger – Spy in the Jungle” videos, photos, and full article click here For “Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice” videos, photos, and full article click here