DARPA sets it sights on shotgun-deployed camera network
DARPA's already dropped a chunk of cash on some tiny, camera-equipped scout robots, but it looks like the ever-funding agency isn't satisfied with its surveillance options just yet, with it now turning to a camera network that has a rather unique means of being deployed. As DefenseNews reports, the cameras developed by CDM Optics are capable of surviving terminal velocity drops, meaning they could be deployed from high-altitude aircraft or even fired from a shot gun. In the latter case, the cameras could apparently be affixed to a spike and fired at walls, forming an ad-hoc network to cover a particular area. While complete details on the cameras are obviously a bit light, they apparently have "surprisingly good performance" and are said to be "very cheap." While there's no word on further development of that particular system just yet, DARPA's larger ELASTIC program has reportedly netted some other results, including an "electronically steered imager array" developed by Toyon and JPL, which has now received some follow-on funding.
[Via Danger Room]
