If a digital camera could be fitted with an antenna of some kind (such as Apple's "Airport") you could place it anywhere and have the pictures beamed to your computer. Limitless uses (sports photographers could have an extra camera several hundred feet away for another angle & control it from their powerbook) Could be used for a live webcam-style feed as well (at a lower resolution).-- Jim, Jul 31 2000 Apple Airport http://www.apple.com/airport/wireless networking card from Apple Computer [Jim, Jul 31 2000] Xcam 2 http://www.x10.com/products/x10_vk45a.htmWireless video camera with 100' range. Includes optional computer hookup ("XRay Vision"). Probably lower resolution than most modern digital cameras, but... [egnor, Jul 31 2000] Apple's "AirPort" is just a re-branded IEEE 802.11b system. Using 802.11 for peripherals is an interesting idea, but current technology is probably too expensive and power hungry for the moment.
Wireless peripheral connectivity is the idea behind Bluetooth... which will be great, whenever it finally comes out.-- egnor, Jul 31 2000 802.11 is a standard designed for interoperability, so any 802.11b-capable camera should work with your AirPort-equipped Mac. (In theory.)
802.11 also has a limited range, but you're right, it's better than Bluetooth. For even greater range, some companies already make digital cameras integrated with cell phones. (The bandwidth is low, though; 802.11 could potentially transmit live video.)-- egnor, Jul 31 2000 Another use: press coverage in societies where upset police and military tend to take away people's equipment.-- jutta, Sep 18 2001 I think jutta's application would require longer range than you can get from either 802.11 or bluetooth, although I've heard of people using laptop+camera+cellmodem combinations that way.
As for this idea --- I really think the Axis Webcam would do nicely with a PCMCIA slot for putting in an 802.11 (or bluetooth, if you prefer) card. As it is, it requires a physical ethernet cable.-- wiml, Sep 18 2001 Small PC Board Camera + Compact Flash Type II 802.11b wireless adapter + Rechargeable Battery Pack + "Mount Anywhere" Case = Effecient solution for security and webcam broadcasting situations.-- marc1919, Sep 21 2001 I don't think this idea requires huge bandwith. 802.11 would probably be an overkill. Cameras already contain quite a bit of built-in memory, and the connection doesn't have to transmit images instanteneously. 20 seconds / image would probably be OK, and I think that can be acchieved with a cellular modem... unless we are talking about very, very high resolution images.-- danilom, Jun 19 2002 Baked. Our videophone already does this.-- 8th of 7, Jun 19 2002 And D-Link is now selling an Axislike camera with 802.11 built in to it.-- wiml, Jun 19 2002 I think a conversation with JPL about their remote telemetry from places like Mars might be in order here. They send complex images many millions of miles using 1970s computers... maybe they would license their tricks to raise money for the space program?-- whlanteigne, Sep 27 2002 random, halfbakery