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Origami Helps Cellphone Cameras To Focus
Sea Monkey writes "New Scientist has an article on the development of novel and ultra-cheap micromotor technology. It's a new type of linear motor, 'using a technique closer to origami than engineering' to cut slits out of tiny piezoelectric ceramic parts. One of the envisioned applications is taking a sheet of the material with the motors, wrapping it into a tube and moving a lens up and down it - instant tiny movable focusing element for cellphone camera lenses."
Isn't anything MEMS closer to origami than science?
ok, now i'm gonna rant, because i'm so tired of hearing this kind of comment every time a new tech is introduced.
this is just silly-
you are saying that cameras have no use to the
general population!! what kind of idiot are you?
why do you think digital cameras have become so popular? because people need them and like them.
haveing one with me all the time, even a crappy one, is super cool AND useful. hell, my mom uses it to show her quilting buddies fabric before she buys it. just because you aren't imaginitive enought o conceive of a use for something, doesn't mean that the rest of the world will be as dull.
people have been using cameras for a long time. even ORDINARY people. you knoe, the kind who don't need a 10megapixel SLR to take pics of their kids or something interesting.
The small size of the sensor allows simple fixed-focus optics with practically infinite depth of field. Adding a mechanism for focusing means you also have to add either an automatic or manual way to achieve the correct focus, which doesn't fit well with the form factor or battery usage desired for cell phones. So the application to cell phone cameras has very small benefits with large drawbacks.
"And this is my boy, Sherman. Speak, Sherman." "Hello." "Good boy."
Also consider how many cell phones become 'obsolete' if you ever change networks. A friend of mine emailed a picture shot from his phone, there's a lot lacking in resolution and exposure metering. If you want to take pictures any/everywhere you go and portability is higher importance, get a Canon Digital IXUS or A60/A70/A80. Those cameras are very compact and can beat any lens/sensor slapped on a phone.
$cat
The cameras in mobile phones use simple fixed-focus single-element lenses that are sufficiently wide that everything from about 50cm to infinity is in focus. What's the point of adding an unnecessary focussing mechanism - it'll just put the price of the phone up and add another mode of potential failure, without adding any worthwhile functionality.
I can see lots of useful appliations for a tiny linear motor, but I'm not convinced that this is one of them.
Why add cameras to phones?
Why not work on ensuring that my call will never get disconnected? How about trying to make it so that I actually get reception in my house? I don't really enjoy going into my backyard just to make a phone call.
Actually, a cell phone and a digital camera are two decives that are really GREAT to combine.
The whole reason for small cameras is making snapshots ect. Therefore you need the have them around when something happens that you want to make a photo of.
Now on the otherhand, most people own a cell phone, and they naturally have it with them.
Now both devices need a signal processor, an accu-pack, memory, ect.
So it is quite sensible to make them one device.
HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
This is just like saying 5 years ago "cellphones are useless! look at the huge piece of shit and I can't even get a signal! people will only be using these as toys!"
give it some time man. imagine a camera you don't even have to plug into your computer because everytime you take a picture its upload to your website. no more film, no more flashcards either