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Scientists Demonstrate Completely Self-Powered Video Camera

U
Undisclosed #1
Apr 16, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Ok, this idea seems so obvious once you hear it.

Two hints:

  1. When the shutter speed is at 1/100s, the sensor's photoreceptors are only used 1% of the time.
  2. Sensors are functionally similar to solar panels.

So, when the electronic shutter is 'closed', capture the power and use it to run the camera.

A research team led by Shree K. Nayar, T.C. Chang Professor of Computer Science at Columbia Engineering, has invented a prototype video camera that is the first to be fully self-powered—it can produce an image each second, indefinitely, of a well-lit indoor scene. They designed a pixel that can not only measure incident light but also convert the incident light into electric power.

Ok, 40p resolution is not going to cut it, but as the sensor gets bigger so does the power...

And low-light performance sucks.... But with a power store it might work.

And whether the sensor could self power a camera or not, it could certainly reduce its power draw. And thats a good thing, right?

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MI
Matt Ion
Apr 16, 2015

It's an interesting concept.

Of course as the sensor gets bigger, so does the power draw.

Avatar
Mark Jones
Apr 16, 2015

The real point is that despite it's current limitations, it is a step in the right direction. You have to start somewhere.

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JH
John Honovich
Apr 16, 2015
IPVM

That's pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
Apr 17, 2015
Pro Focus LLC

The YouTube video was pulled.

U
Undisclosed #1
Apr 17, 2015
IPVMU Certified

The YouTube video was pulled.

Not surprising, considering how disruptive the technology is. I can't prove it of course, but this takedown has Big Oil's prints all over it. ;). Here's another one, enjoy it while you can....

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MI
Matt Ion
Apr 17, 2015

I'm sure Big Pharma is involved as well, since this could affect the sale of Aspirin to people frustrated over the need to constantly charge their batteries.

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U
Undisclosed #1
Apr 19, 2015
IPVMU Certified

This technique could work wonders in the wire-free, low-power Arlo style cameras.

Since these cameras are typically motion activated, they could possibly accumulate a decent amount of charge in reserve in between uses, allowing them to burst to a higher frame rate than they could achieve if they were streaming continuously.

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