MIT-developed fabric can turn your shirt into a camera

And you thought it was a problem when folks went into the locker room toting cell phones with cameras.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a fabric made of a mesh of light-sensitive fibers that collectively act like a rudimentary camera. The fibers, which each can detect two frequencies of light, produced signals that when amplified and processed by a computer reproduced an image of a smiley face near the mesh.

"This is the first time that anybody has demonstrated that a single plane of fibers, or 'fabric,' can collect images just like a camera but without a lens," said Yoel Fink, an associate professor of materials science, who along with colleagues described the approach in a the journal Nano Letters.
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I spy with my little... Spy Kite

Attaching cameras to kites is not a new idea, but people often have difficulty conceiving even a rig to support the weight of point-and-shoots which weigh around 100g to 150g. Bear in mind that the setup has to be light enough to ride the currents on a windy day.

If taking aerial shots interests you, then maybe you can consider the Spy Kite. The kit comes with a kite and a digital camera, which is linked to a remote control via the kite line. This means you won't be able to use your own strings for flying the kite if you want to take pictures from the ground. Note that there is also no display on the remote control, so you'll have to guess what the kite is seeing and press the shutter to take a shot.
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Ward off pesky paparazzi with a flashing clutch

If I were a popular Hollywood celebrity, chances are the paparazzi would be now staking my house outside and jotting down notes on what I had for lunch. Alas for commoners like me, Adam Harvey's invention won't do much.

Harvey, a New York University graduate, conceived a fashion clutch (no, not the pedal you step on for manual transmission cars) which can help scandal-stricken stars get out of the spotlight. His invention includes a small microcontroller, LED lights and a sensor which detects bright flashes from external sources.

When the clutch detects a flash, it responds by activating the LEDs which, in theory, will over-expose the paparazzi's shot (see above picture for an example). But this will probably work effectively only at night.
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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX1 and WX1 on the way

It's mid-2009, and that means it's time for the brands to refresh their point-and-shoot lineup. From past experience, manufacturers usually announce their new digicams from mid-July to early August, but Sony seems to have some problems keeping a lid on its new snappers.

Tech blog Sony Insider reports that online store Provantage has listed two new Cyber-shot models, the DSC-TX1 and WX1, on its Web site. When we checked it out at press time, the two cameras were still available online.

Sony Insider said that the these two point-and-shoots will complement the DSC-HX1 superzoom, and the TX1 will feature a 10-megapixel Type R CMOS imaging sensor, 4x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD and 720p video recording. The WX1 was mentioned as the more affordable alternative with almost similar specifications, save that it will house a 2.7-inch LCD.

There are no pictures of the new cameras available, but we are guessing it won't be long before we get our mitts on either one. Check back with us soon for more updates.

Via Engadget

A green idea for the environmentally conscious shutterbug

I'm really glad that all the cameras I have are still functional, but I'm sure there will come the day when one of them refuse to fire the shutter, or worst, have a damaged circuit. When that day comes, I'll refer back to this article.

Photoblog Photojojo has a nice writeup on what you can do with your spoilt cameras, though most of it applies only to film-based shooters. The Web site suggests that you turn these defunct gizmos into a flowerpot and grow plants in them. From lenses to camera bodies, it seems that almost anything can be converted into a unique piece of green art.

In my cupboard I have an old Canon EF 50mm F1.8 lens which has been severely infected by fungus. So perhaps I'll remove the lens and turn it into a flowerpot. Anyone wants to see me grow flowers out of my lens? Put your request below.

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