Posted Friday, October 14, 2011 @ 12:22 PM  

In one of my former careers, I did lots of aerial photography and remote sensing. My company was selected by NASA to commercialize optical filter technology which allows the user to see plant stress before it is visible to the naked eye. The Space Act Agreement I have with NASA is the basis for many of my glasses and lenses. You can see some of the items at: www.Bomartechnologies.com
Along the way, I designed remote sensing systems using digital cameras (in partnership with Epson). Epson liked the idea of using their big ink jet printers to make aerial prints.

Anyway, I will build into my RF-4 a remote sensing system. Many of the problems that we solved with Epson are now very inexpensive... and very small. If there is any interest in the Forum regarding the use of the 4 as an aerial platform for remote sensing, I would be happy to share.

As a little foreshadowing, the augmented heads up display you saw in the movie Iron Man... data and telemetry inside the visor of Iron Man is actually being built... and will be reflected off the back side of your glasses (lenses) in HD. With a few sensors, you will be able to see thermal and/or in IR. As you might guess, the military applications are considerable and some in power do not want me to build the lenses in China. Right now my factory is building GPS data projections into ski googlies.... as you ski down the slope you will have speed information (a speedometer), direction, vertical information, location, ski slope data, how to get back to the lodge, etc. These are not my ski goggles... just the factory where my glasses and ski goggles are being made. Interesting stuff.

Posted Monday, October 17, 2011 @ 10:36 AM  

I myself am playing with one of those Quad Copters, Radio Controlled for now but eventually, with remote FPV (Fly by camera in copter/video googles) and then perhaps even completely autonomous.

Interestingly the flight stabilization is done with a $20 programable Arduino Pro Mini and the gyros and accelerometers from Nintendo Controllers. Additional features for navigation are the sonar range detectors for object avoidance (ground), Baro altimeters, GPS navigation and return home function. ( http://www.searchthenetnow.com/tag/quadcopters/ )

The technology has really gotten cheap, reliable and come a very long way.

I have been disappointed in the auto manufacturers that many of these things are not built into cars.

GPS should have been standard equipment on a car at least 5 years ago, along with collision avoidance sensors and HUD should be an option by now.

I think that cars should also have internet connectivity (wireless network and via your phone) as an option now to help locate vehicle and to transmit vehicle condition, music, video, trip routes, maps, shopping lists etc.

But I digress.