CHDK - second life for Canon point and shoot digital cameras

When I've bought my Canon digicam, I've heard rumors about additional software uploaded into Canon cameras. But last year there was still no support for my A570 model. Last week I've found article on Lifehacker mentioning hacking Canon firmware.

I've uploaded CHDK software using SD card reader, and I'm playing now with new features. There is lot of interesting things like making RAW pictures, overriding default range of exposure settings, bracketing and lots of cool of tools like live histogram and under/overexpose region marking.

It feels like I've got new camera - it's indeed second life for that piece of hardware.

I'm trying to get some HDR pictures now using RAW format and auto bracketing features.

So, happy shooting!

Alternative Human Computer Interface for cheap (Wiiiii)

More efficient or just possible with computer interaction in hard cirtcumstances is one of my dreams (so tech geeky). I specially like input methods without standard keyboard. It's good to have touch screen and/or some kind of wearable pointing device.

I've been trying to get some results using web cam and motion analyzing software- to move mouse cursor or activate functions by waving hands. I haven't enough time to get it succesfull.

Then I saw some of Johny Lee Wiimote projects results- it's really impressive. All thanks to internal processing inside wiimote- all you get on output are coordinates of tracked points and values from accelerometers.

I've never been into wii- just another game console. One positive- it was introducing new kind of games. I'm reading about wiimote possibilities and it looks it gives a lot of possibilities for affordable price.

Probably I give up my web cam attempts as Johny Lee wrote on his blog:

The wii remote contains a 1024x768 camera with built-in hardware for IR blob tracking of upto 4 points at 100Hz. This significantly outperforms any $40 webcam I'm aware of. It'll work with a webcam, just not as well and not as easily.


I'm thinking to get one of these to hack it into something usable.