ViconRevue meant to record a user's life

UK-based digital camera maker Vicon said it will soon release a digital camera that hangs from a user's neck and is meant to document the wearer's life. The ViconRevue can be set to capture an image every 30 seconds, and the included 1GB memory card can store up to 30,000 still images. There is also a built-in accelerometer and light sensors that will trigger the shutter when the wearer changes locations, while an infrared sensor will also capture an image when the body heat of another person is detected.

Originally called the SenseCam and developed by Microsoft Research Cambridge in the UK, the device was meant to help those with Alzheimer's disease remember things by letting them review the events of the day. Vicon purchased the license for the technology from Microsoft and has plans to produce it.

Microsoft sold the technology because it can't keep up with demand for it, according to Vicon managing director Imogen Moorhouse. Sales number 500, with the majority going to researchers. Vicon currently specializes in motion-capture technology in the movie industry.

ViconRevue is aimed at what the company calls "lifeloggers," or individuals who wish to record as much of their life as possible.

Vicon will sell the camera for the equivalent of around $820 in the UK, with a version for researchers due out in a couple of months. The consumer version should arrive next year. [via NewScientist]

By Electronista Staff