The Mindstorms processor unit which provides for 3 sensors and 3 outputs, programme selection and infrared link. My KAPper's brain was attracted to the Mindstorms unit when reading about it in a computer shop leaflet. I guess the heady prospect of being able to pre-program a system to take a set of KAP shots to order, and the possibilities of being able to vary the program to suit particular KAP purposes was what got my money on the counter. In the next few weeks I will be putting a programmable rig in the air, I am sure. Concept proving rig design, amazing to watch it busy itself moving this way and that, under control from the unit.
Next step is to get a rig in the air.
Here are a few KAP ideas based around my understanding of the equipment. The light sensor would need some further investigation, as at the moment my impression is that it is only capable of properly distinguishing primary colours from each other. By using filtration, small lenses and so on, it should be possible to, for example, have the sensor respond to a subject of a particular colour or brightness, and through automatic corrections, keep the camera pointing at it. Again, the light sensor is quite capable of detecting the change between the sky and the horizon, and therefore it is easy to set up the system so that the camera works at a fixed angle or angles to the horizon. It is straightforward to set up the unit to take a set of photographs over a pre-programmed coverage, arranging the camera to move in certain angular steps, up a bit, shoot, left a bit, shoot, etc.