Until now, filming underwater has required teams of divers and expensive underwater camera rigs - but a new iPad-controlled robot does the lot itself.
The battery-powered Aquabotix Hydroview shoots in Full HD and swims independently, letting users see through its eyes with an app that works on iPads, smartphones and Windows laptops.
The $4,000 machine comes with a 75-foot cable and battery pack that lets it 'swim' for three hours - its makers suggest the tiny submarine could be used to find lost keys underwater, or for underwater documentaries.
The Aquabotix Hydroview shoots in Full HD and swims independently, letting users see through its eyes with an app that works on iPads, smartphones and Windows laptops.
Complete with on-board LED lights for underwater, the HydroView travels at up to five knots forward and one knot in reverse while shooting video or capturing still images at depths up to 150 feet down.
It can also capture information on water conditions.
The Hydroview costs $4,000 - more prosaically, you can also 'explore the depths' with a camera mounted on a boat hook for just $475.
The HydroView communicates wirelessly from the user’s handheld device to the HydroView’s top-side box, which is in-turn connected to the submersible via a cable tether.
Tthe HydroView measures just 14.6x19x7 inches and weighs nine pounds - and the finished model shoots in Full HD, although the early demo video below is in lower definition.
‘Every kid dreams of exploring the oceans but few of us truly experience life under the sea. Now, with the HydroView, if you can operate an iPad you can ply the depths like Jacques Cousteau,’ said Durval Tavares,CEO of Aquabotix.
‘Whether you are a charter boat owner looking to entertain your guests, a commercial captain looking to confirm vessel conditions below the waterline or a first responder looking for a quick and safe way to survey a submerged scene, the HydroView delivers a safe and dry, up-close experience with the underwater world.’
No comments:
Post a Comment