Nearly hitting a $50,000 funding goal on Kickstarter, the MeMINI is a small, high definition video camera that can be worn on clothing in order to capture specific moments during the day. Constantly recording video when active, the MeMINI can record between 5 seconds to 5 minutes on a continuous loop. When the MeMINI owner experiences a moment that they want to capture, a single press of the Recall button on the device stores the most recent loop of video. Conceptually, the design allows users to record specific one-of-a-kind, sharable moments in addition to cutting down on editing time when processing the video at a later time.
When setting up the MeMINI , users can choose between storing video on a 32GB internal memory card or transmitting the video into cloud storage. Once the video is stored in the cloud, the user can open up the iOS or Android companion application and upload stored videos to social networks like Facebook or video services like YouTube. The application can also act as a live feed viewfinder when attempting to adjust the camera angle for optimal recording. According to the creators of MeMINI, they will be offering 2GB of free cloud storage with the purchase of the device.
Regarding hardware design, the camera is capable of capturing video at 720p (60 or 30 frames per second) and 1080p (30 frames per second) resolution as well as MP4 and H.264 formats. The MeMINI camera also includes image stabilization, ideal since the camera is clipped onto clothing utilizing a companion magnet within the shirt or pants. In addition, the lens has a 140 degree field of vision. Audio is recorded using the built-in microphone and stored in AAC format. The camera communicates over Wi-Fi in addition to Bluetooth 4.0.
The MeMINI camera includes an 1800mah battery that is capable of keeping the device active and recording for a total of three hours. In addition, the creators have includes a USB 2.0 output for transferring video files to a desktop computer or laptop for further editing. Users can also utilize a computer to remove videos from the internal memory card when extra storage space is needed. If a user wants more than 2GB of cloud storage, it can be purchased from the MeMINI creators. Regarding durability, the MeMINI camera is both dust and water resistant, but is not waterproof.
Assuming the project is fully funded, the MeMINI team is expected to utilize the first half of the year for pre-production before delivering the final product to initial backers by July 2014. There are a number of backer contribution levels available to Kickstarter users, but the least expensive version of the MeMINI camera is priced at $169. It will be available in four different colors which include all black, black and silver, black and white and all white.
As with all projects on Kickstarter and Indiegogo, be aware that manufacturing issues often cause production delays in the final release of the product. In many cases, the projected release date of crowdfunded products can be pushed back several weeks or even months.
