Cameras With Wings
Smartphones are handy gadgets and while the value of being connected 24/7 is debatable, such devices have become increasingly sophisticated over the last few years with multiple cameras that compete with SLRs,and TOF sensors that can map surroundings and give users the option to modify or add images to a video in real-time. These are handy things to have if you are taking pictures for National Geographic or getting a good look at the QAnon Shaman, but the necessity for having five high quality cameras on your smartphone seems a bit over overkill for taking the usual selfie shots of your friends making goofy faces or of what you are having for dinner.
However a recent WIPO patent application made by Chinese smartphone brand Vivo (pvt), seems to take the camera concept even further by including a detachable camera drone that can lift off from the phone and is able to take pictures from angles not possible using a camera mounted on the phone. While the patent application suggests a number of variations including a 2nd camera on the ‘drone’ and a TOF type sensor, adding the capability for distance measurement and effects, along with proximity sensors to keep the drone from collisions with other flying objects, the details on how the drone is controlled or how data is stored or transferred are not quite available.
However a lack of details has not kept some from producing a mock-up and video of such a product and projecting a 5cm x 5cm x 1cm size, allowing it to be completely hidden inside of the smartphone when not in use. Of course no reference is made to where the phones electronics might have to go in order to create room for the drone, which, using a typical 6.8” smartphone, would take up ~20% of the space normally allocated to the phone’s innards, or how long the drone battery might last, but not to be a downer, here’s the rendering video: https://youtu.be/gK7nWwoAfRQ
This is really a device concept patent, which is presented to keep others from trying to use the ‘flying camera’ concept in a smartphone without a license from Vivo and will likely never see mass production for a number of reasons, primarily as we expect the market for such devices would be rather small. However Vivo has shown a smartphone ‘concept phone’ that has a detachable camera, a progressive idea taken from those smartphones that have pop-up cameras, and smartphone brands are always looking for ways to garner media attention so we have learned never to say ‘never’ when it comes to smartphone features. Looking forward to the days when we can zoom in on what the neighbors are having for dinner.
However a recent WIPO patent application made by Chinese smartphone brand Vivo (pvt), seems to take the camera concept even further by including a detachable camera drone that can lift off from the phone and is able to take pictures from angles not possible using a camera mounted on the phone. While the patent application suggests a number of variations including a 2nd camera on the ‘drone’ and a TOF type sensor, adding the capability for distance measurement and effects, along with proximity sensors to keep the drone from collisions with other flying objects, the details on how the drone is controlled or how data is stored or transferred are not quite available.
However a lack of details has not kept some from producing a mock-up and video of such a product and projecting a 5cm x 5cm x 1cm size, allowing it to be completely hidden inside of the smartphone when not in use. Of course no reference is made to where the phones electronics might have to go in order to create room for the drone, which, using a typical 6.8” smartphone, would take up ~20% of the space normally allocated to the phone’s innards, or how long the drone battery might last, but not to be a downer, here’s the rendering video: https://youtu.be/gK7nWwoAfRQ
This is really a device concept patent, which is presented to keep others from trying to use the ‘flying camera’ concept in a smartphone without a license from Vivo and will likely never see mass production for a number of reasons, primarily as we expect the market for such devices would be rather small. However Vivo has shown a smartphone ‘concept phone’ that has a detachable camera, a progressive idea taken from those smartphones that have pop-up cameras, and smartphone brands are always looking for ways to garner media attention so we have learned never to say ‘never’ when it comes to smartphone features. Looking forward to the days when we can zoom in on what the neighbors are having for dinner.
Vivo 'Drone' Concept Phone - Source: WIPO
Vivo 'Drone Concept Phone' Render - Source: LetsGoDigital
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