Need periscope so we can videoconference!

[astronaut]

What we need is for someone to manufacture a small periscope like device that will snap onto our Droids and allow us to use the camera to videoconference. All it would take is a couple of small mirrors and maybe a lens on the front. It would wrap around the side of the Droid and carry the image of our face to the camera lens. Software could take care of the rest.

What do you think? Could someone make these for us?

 

[christim]

What we need is for someone to manufacture a small periscope like device that will snap onto our Droids and allow us to use the camera to videoconference. All it would take is a couple of small mirrors and maybe a lens on the front. It would wrap around the side of the Droid and carry the image of our face to the camera lens. Software could take care of the rest.

What do you think? Could someone make these for us?

You'd probably do ok with just a mirror propped up. Maybe a cradle thing that held the phone upright and the mirror upright. As long as you see the lens in the mirror the camera can see you. ier: block of wood and router or table saw with a dado blade.

 

[astronaut]

I was hoping for something more portable. Something that you could slip in your pocket and take with you.

 

[cuskit]

What we need is for someone to manufacture a small periscope like device that will snap onto our Droids and allow us to use the camera to videoconference. All it would take is a couple of small mirrors and maybe a lens on the front. It would wrap around the side of the Droid and carry the image of our face to the camera lens. Software could take care of the rest.

What do you think? Could someone make these for us?

You'd probably do ok with just a mirror propped up. Maybe a cradle thing that held the phone upright and the mirror upright. As long as you see the lens in the mirror the camera can see you. ier: block of wood and router or table saw with a dado blade.

Christim - Quite amusing, and very interesting. You've got me thinking now! That would be similar to the many monitors that have a small video conferencing camera mounted/built-in. Hmmm. A Video Conferencing MIKRADLE! My mind is racing now! Do I have the time to move on yet another innovative model? Yikes! mikey

 

[JimmyD]

The product you guys are theorizing about already exists (but it's for the iPhone). You can check it out here: Home | iSnapMe.com

Here's a YouTube video about it...
[video=youtube;rHbciYPPA5c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHbciYPPA5c]YouTube - iSnapMe - Forward Facing Camera for iPhone[/video]

 

[astronaut]

I was imagining something smaller but that might work. I'll check it out.

 

[Oogie Wa Wa]

Periscope

Was looking into this too. I guess I hadn't realized that if the cam takes a pic of you 2' wide at 2' away, for every inch the light travels the pic area must get an inch wider. So at 1" away from the lens the mirror has to be 1" wide! No wonder its so big.

It doesn't say if they're front-silvered mirrors or not; to be any good at an angle they'd have to be. Also it definitely needs 2 so the image isn't inverted.

Funny, think about this one; a wall mirror flips things right to left, but not top to bottom! How do it know???

Ahem, anyway, down to the workshop...

 

[VigVoodoo]

Was looking into this too. I guess I hadn't realized that if the cam takes a pic of you 2' wide at 2' away, for every inch the light travels the pic area must get an inch wider. So at 1" away from the lens the mirror has to be 1" wide! No wonder its so big.

It doesn't say if they're front-silvered mirrors or not; to be any good at an angle they'd have to be. Also it definitely needs 2 so the image isn't inverted.

Funny, think about this one; a wall mirror flips things right to left, but not top to bottom! How do it know???

Ahem, anyway, down to the workshop...

Software can take care of all the image flipping, no need for more mirrors.

 

[amblix]

cuzkit, here is something I would imagine a Mikradle with mirrors to look similar too

[video=youtube;iew4rXsorTw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iew4rXsorTw&feature=related[/video]

I would so purchase one!