Summary of MISS NOTHING WITH A HACKED 360 DEGREE CAMERA TRAP
This article describes Panatrap, a project by DINALABS using hacked 360° cameras to improve wildlife monitoring. By integrating motion sensors with consumer cameras like the Xiaomi Mi Sphere and Ricoh Theta V, the team creates automated traps that trigger recording only when movement is detected. The system uses custom electronics to control camera functions and is protected in weather-resistant cases for jungle deployment.
Parts used in the Panatrap:
- Xiaomi Mi Sphere
- Ricoh Theta V
- Arduino compatible board
- PIR sensor
- Teensy microcontroller
- Servo motor
- Laser cut acrylic case
Camera traps are a very common tool in wildlife conservation and research, but placing and pointing them correctly can be a bit of a guessing game. Something very interesting could happen just out of frame and you’d be none the wiser. The [Andrew Quitmeyer] and [Danielle Hoogendijk] at DINALABS (Digital Naturalism Laboratories) in Panama are experimenting with hacked consumer 360° cameras to help solve problem.
The project is called Panatrap and looks very promising. They’ve done very detailed testing with a number of different 360° cameras, and have built functional prototypes with the Xiaomi Misphere and Ricoh Theta V. The Xiaomi had some handy contacts on the bottom of the camera for its selfie stick interface (simply a resistor and button), which allowed full control of the camera. An Arduino compatible board waits for the motion detected signal from a PIR sensor which then sends the required command to the camera to wake-up and take footage. The Ricoh was slightly more challenging, but they discovered that the camera will wake up if an emulated keyboard command is received over it’s USB port from a Teensy. Triggering is then done by a servo pushing against the camera’s button. Everything is housed in a laser cut acrylic case to help it survive the wet jungle. If anyone knows how to hack the Samsung Gear camera to work, the team is keen to hear from you!
All the work is open sourced, with build details and hardware designs available on the project page and software up on Github. Check out some cool 360° test footage after the break with some local wildlife. We are looking forward to more footage!
It’s possible to make your own rudimentary 360° camera using a raspberry pi. Also check out our recent article on Dian Fossey, a hero of gorilla conservation.
Source: MISS NOTHING WITH A HACKED 360 DEGREE CAMERA TRAP
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How do the Xiaomi Mi Sphere contacts help the project?
The contacts on the bottom of the Xiaomi camera allow full control of the camera via a resistor and button interface. -
Can the Ricoh Theta V be triggered remotely?
Yes, the Ricoh wakes up if an emulated keyboard command is received over its USB port from a Teensy. -
What triggers the camera to start recording footage?
A PIR sensor detects motion and sends a signal to the Arduino or Teensy to wake up the camera and take footage. -
How does the servo motor function in this setup?
The servo pushes against the Ricoh camera's button to physically trigger it after receiving a command. -
Why are laser cut acrylic cases used?
The cases are designed to help the equipment survive the wet jungle environment. -
Where can I find the software and build details?
All work is open sourced with hardware designs on the project page and software available on Github. -
Is there interest in hacking other camera models?
The team is keen to hear from anyone who knows how to hack the Samsung Gear camera to work.
