No. This is Picture Monitoring. Images are much easier to manage, transfer, and share with different web services (such as Picasaweb, Twitter, FLICKR, etc.). The underlying RF technology and protocol are optimized for long range and battery life. Note, however, that you could choose to take 12 to 15 images per minute (that’s 1 picture every 3 to 4 seconds), which approaches near real time.

We take an image, and then the next image is compared with the first. Changes are highlighted with a red outline, so you can easily see what’s changed. We can then upload either all, or just the “changed” images to FLICKR, Picasaweb, or Twitter.

You can upload images to Twitter when the camera detects change. Then, just follow that twitter account with your main twitter account. When change is uploaded, you will receive a “tweet” with the image and can see it on your cell phone.

We enable you to set any one camera as a “whistleblower”, where it will take rapid images with change detect “on”. When this camera detects change, it will tell the other cameras in the network to turn on and take images.

Outdoor range is greater than 500 yards line of sight. Indoor range will vary based on the amount of metal between the cameras and hubs.

Each camera holds 2 AAA batteries. They will get 2.5 months at 40 pictures per day, or 3000 images.

Yes. Each camera ships with a standard cell phone charger, or power supply. The cameras accept power from any standard 5V cell phone charger with a micro-USB adapter. We also have solar charger and rechargeable battery pack solutions available for demanding applications.

No. However, the free on-line services have limitations. Picasaweb allows 500 images for free. Twitpic allows 200 uploads per day as of this writing. Beyond that you would need to buy additional storage from Google for example.

Zigbee is a low-power, IEEE wireless standard, networking protocol. It’s reference number within IEEE is 802.15.4. You may have heard about “Wi-Fi”, or 802.11b/g, which is a cousin. Zigbee gives us a set of security standards and network traffic management. Improvements in range, speed, and battery life are always being made in this standard, and we will be able to pass these improvements along to our customers. This standard also gives us an encrypted secure transport for images.

We recommend that you extend an existing security solution with a Scout-cam network, as opposed to using this as a primary security solution. Scout-Cam doesn’t capture “events”, because it takes pictures on timed intervals or upon request. Scout-Cam captures the status of things. Scout-Cam can be setup with tight intervals with the “detect change” feature on, and can then alert the rest of the network to turn on when change is detect.

Yes, you can easily add cameras to your network.

Image transfer is protected by the 128-bit security of our MAC layer within 802.15.4. This adds overhead and cycle time to encrypt and decrypt data, but we think it’s worth it. Image access on FLICKR, Picasa web, and Twitpic is managed by the account owner, who determines access privileges (invitees only, friends only, everyone, etc.).

Yes

We suggest 1 to 30 cameras per network as a practical limitation based on image throughputs; however, you could put many more cameras, say up to 120, if image latency was not an issue.

Soon. We are working on a number of sensors which will enable the network to respond with images when, say, a door is opened.

If you take 40 VGA pictures per day for 75 days (3000 pictures), it will require about 111 MB hard disk space. This is a major advantage of our system in that it does not require a great deal of storage like video systems.

No. Cameras do not have motion detect. We have “Change Detect” from image to image.

Scout-Cam networks can upload images to Google’s Picasaweb, Yahoo’s FLICKR, and Twitter. Each of these services allows you to share images with friends and family of your choosing.

A QVGA image can be retrieved in 3 to 4 seconds. A VGA image can be retrieved in 4 to 5 seconds.

Yes! Set the camera to 1/day or 1/week snapshots. The weatherproof cameras will give you a great angle on your project when placed high in a tree.

Yes. You need an “always on” broadband internet connection to upload the pictures as they are taken. You also need a computer that is always on to receive the pictures from the cameras on your network.

No, you need a computer that is always on to receive the pictures from the cameras on your network.

We support Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista 32 and 64 bit, and are working on Windows 7.

• Are the kids home from school?
• Has my drycleaning been delivered and is it waiting on the front porch?
• Is my basement OK?
• Is Fido OK?
• Are there cars parked out front?
• What’s going on at my construction site?
• Is the waiting room full?
• Is the dock full at the moment?
• Is the pantry stocked?
• Does the yard need attention?
• Is there snow on the driveway? Do I need to come over and shovel?

The cameras take VGA images at 640 x 480 pixels. A VGA image is roughly 6 inches by 4 inches on a regular monitor. They also take QVGA (320 x 240 pixels).

No. These cameras work like your cell-phone camera, so need some minimal light to capture a visible image.

If your cell phone can browse the web, like most “Smart Phones” today, then the answer is “yes”. Your computer needs to be connected to the internet to upload images from Scout-Cam to Picasaweb, FLICKR, and Twitter. Then, you will be able to log into these services with your cell and see your images there once you have configured the software on the PC to upload.

Each camera is configured independently, so camera 1 can upload to FLICKR, and camera 2 can upload to Twitpic, etc. However, at this time, we do not allow 1 camera to upload to 2 or more services at once. If there’s a lot of interest in this, we could do it.

No. Cameras can be configured NOT to upload to the web. The images will only be stored on your local PC.

If you purchase 2 Scout-Cam networks, and install one at home, and install the other at your small business (or 2nd home, or Grandmother’s home, etc.), then you could easily direct each network to upload images to the same Picasaweb account on line. Then you would only have to log into 1 place to view your images from both networks.

Yes, only limits will be the on-line storage provided by the on-line services. Google allows 500 pictures per album for example, beyond that, you need to purchase additional storage.