Many cellphones these days have video cameras built in, consisting of a fixed-focus lens on the outside and a moderately readable viewing screen on the inside.
It wouldn't take much to make these parts extendable to function as a periscope to see around corners without exposing oneself directly to unknown firepower that may be lurking.-- csea, Jun 14 2010 Kind of like... http://www.maplin.c...mages/full/rm36.jpg... but with camera and video... ? [Jinbish, Jun 14 2010] I always thought this would come in handy http://qik.com/video/live [DenholmRicshaw, Jun 14 2010] Marketing Map http://www.globalconflictmap.com/Current cities in which to market the [csea] cellphone periscope. Primary emphasis on cities marked by a red pointer. [jurist, Jun 15 2010] Big In Japan http://s0.ilike.com...04a9dbdc61963ba8b37 [normzone, Jul 05 2010] OptiEyes http://gizmodo.com/...s-of-being-arrestedNeat ! [8th of 7, Jul 06 2010] You expect these to be big sellers in Belfast and Kabul? (Actually, I like the idea of the camera lens mounted on an extendible stalk, but don't find the rationale compelling.)-- jurist, Jun 14 2010 How about using two phones; one at each end of a stick.
One could be using Qik Live (see link) and the other could be viewing it.-- DenholmRicshaw, Jun 14 2010 Why would they be big sellers in Belfast? Kabul I understand, but Belfast is now one of the safest cities in Europe and has the lowest violent crime stats of any large city in the UK.-- xenzag, Jun 14 2010 Probably due to the propensity of people there to look around corners?-- rcarty, Jun 14 2010 Useful for many types of home or auto repair tasks. [+]-- swimswim, Jun 14 2010 Hard to believe they don't have these already.A pull out endoscopic lens could come in handy too.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jun 15 2010 Just what I need for my clandestine sub warfare campaign.-- Letsbuildafort, Jun 15 2010 + most excellent idea.-- xandram, Jun 15 2010 freaking genius-- theircompetitor, Jun 19 2010 Only Americans use flip-phones. Everywhere else they're considered vulgar and passé, and of course make you look like an American (which is the same thing)-- xenzag, Jun 19 2010 I use the term "unknown firepower" advisedly, perhaps innocently meaning someone one wishes to see but whom one doesn't wish to see one at present.-- csea, Jul 04 2010 //Only Americans use flip-phones//I hear they're still big in Japan.-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Jul 04 2010 Using Bluetooth, a small, fully automomous camera could be used, with accessories like a telescopic rod. mini tripod, suction cup mount.
[+]-- 8th of 7, Jul 06 2010 random, halfbakery