Similar to the idea of piping lighting throughout a building to substitute for electrical lighting this would combine fiber optics with pipes of mirrors that crisscross the globe (essentially long periscopes), surfacing at various points of interest, ie. The Eiffel Tower, The Great Wall of China, Antarctica, etc. and then in random booths that dot areas of high population. Want to see what's going on in France? Merely enter the booth and look into the eyepiece.
-- Postscript, Apr 05 2010

Like this you mean ? http://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Telectroscope
[FlyingToaster, Apr 06 2010]

Isn't this easier done with live webcams (which already exist)?
-- DIYMatt, Apr 07 2010


Yes but that's not half as awesome. This would also ideally give a better picture.
-- Postscript, Apr 07 2010


Fiber optics are generally tuned to a single wave length of light. Even then the signal has to be amplifed every so many thousands of meters. If your using the visual spectrum of light you would have to use amplification anyways which would require a CCD and output lasers to get any meanigful distance.

At that point you might as well buy 2 HD cameras and a high speed internet connection. Probably cheaper than trying to lay dedicate fiber optic.
-- metarinka, Apr 09 2010



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