SoftBank develops robot cameras for that lucrative pet surveillance market
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted May 23rd 2010 4:19PM
posted May 23rd 2010 4:19PM
Do you love robots -- and pets -- although you're not quite ready to take the dive into actual robot pet ownership? You're in luck! Those crazy kids at SoftBank are back again with the Mimamori line of remote control robot cameras. Designed to cruise around your living room at a dog's or cat's-eye view (and doomed to remain inside the apartment, as it eschews batteries for AC power) this guy shoots (don't get too excited) 640 x 480 stills or 176 x 144 video. The idea here is that you can log onto it via your cell phone, drive it around the apartment, and maybe even snap some pics and MMS 'em back to you if you spot something especially adorable going on. A remote spy drone for keeping tabs on Rover? In theory it sounds awesome, but we're more than prepared for the possibility that in practice it'll be anything but. We'll have to wait until September to find out, when it hits the streets of Japan in two flavors: white and round (Mimamori Z001, above) and silver and not quite as round (Mimamori Z002). Details are still pretty sketchy -- but if you hit the source link, you can sort it out your own self.
If I start driving this around my house, my cats are going to knock bits off of it.
@d0mth0ma5
Awesome! Now I can record me and my girl at night bonking and if she asks ill just tell her its my new pet:)
I thought you were going to say "this guy shoots LASERS".
That would have been awesome!
Can it be angled to look up girls' skirts?
Dudes this has been available in Qatar via Qtel for two years now.......
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My Aibo can already do this :D
176x144 Video? Why bother?
I might get one... You kow, just to keep an eye on that pussy next door.
I'm going to mod mine and take the lead with a new trend....remote camera surveillance ATTACHED to your pet. I would love to know what my cat gets into wondering around the neighborhood all night. Cat camera helmet? fun stuff.
Woot had a deal for the wowwee rovio for $100 a month or two ago. It does video up to 640x480.
Only problem I've had with it is that it doesn't handle the dark well, and the headlights aren't bright enough to make up for that (although I haven't tried the headlight upgrade).
@joquarky I also used Rovio to watch after my cat when I went on vacation. It's pretty bad even during daytime unless you leave lights on. I sold mine and waiting for them to release new model, one that has better light sensitivity.