This is the Galileo, a tilting, spinning 360˚ camera mount for your iPhone. It can pan, enable cool moving time-lapses, or even just work as a powered iPhone dock (it comes with a USB cable and a lithium-polymer battery).
But when you see the video below, with its wonderful a-ha moment, you’ll want one right away.
That’s right. The Galileo lets you remote control its movement from another iOS device. So if you are chatting to your kid via video (as in the example above) and he inevitably wanders off, you can just swipe the screen of your iPad and the iPhone at the other end will move on its Galileo gymbal. That’s pretty amazing right there.
I could do with one of these at my parents’ place. Whenever I Skype them, my mother puts her netbook on the living room coffee table and points it up. I get a great view of the entire wall behind them, and their two heads barely peeking over the bottom of the frame.
The Galileo’s design allows infinite 360˚ spins in both directions, at up to 200˚ per second. Other uses — should you wish to sacrifice an iPhone — are baby monitors, security camera or just a way for a lazy photographer to catch an awesome sunrise from his bed.
There’s an SDK available so other developers can build in support, and the project is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. Amazingly, it costs just $85 to get in (the final retail price will be $130). And it looks good to go. With 22 days still left on the countdown, the Galileo has more than doubled its $100,000 goal. I’m sold.
[Thanks, Jennifer!]
