This Eerie Video Was Shot by a Self-Powered Camera

Battery drain can put a damper on any photographer's day. But a group of Columbia University computer scientists may have the solution.

The research team, led by professor Shree Nayar, developed a prototype self-powered video camera that converts light into energy. Set up in a well-lit indoor scene, the nameless device can produce an image each second, for as long as the lights are turned on.

"We are in the middle of a digital imaging revolution," Nayar, director of the Computer Vision Laboratory at Columbia Engineering, said in a statement. "I think we have just seen the tip of the iceberg."

Nayar found that digital cameras and solar panels basically have the same components: the photodiode.

A camera's image sensor has millions of pixels. "The key enabling device in a pixel is the photodiode, which produces an electric current when exposed to light," the researchers said. "This mechanism enables each pixel to measure the intensity of light falling on it. The same photodiode is also used in solar panels to convert incident light to electric power. The photodiode in a camera pixel is used in the photoconductive mode, while in a solar cell it is used in the photovoltaic model."

The image sensor in Nayar's camera has only 30-by-40 pixels, so the resulting images are currently a bit grainy. The device itself was constructed using off-the-shelf components, while the body was 3D-printed.

"A few different designs for image sensors that can harvest energy have been proposed in the past," Nayar said, adding that his prototype showcases an extreme approach, using just a capacitor to store the harvested energy.

"We believe our results are a significant step forward in developing an entirely new generation of cameras that can function for a very long duration—ideally, forever—without being externally powered," he said.

When not in use, the camera can generate enough power to charge other devices, including a mobile phone or smartwatch.

"Digital imaging is expected to enable many emerging fields including wearable devices, sensor networks, smart environments, personalized medicine, and the Internet of Things," Nayar said. "A camera that can function as an untethered device forever—without any external power supply—would be incredibly useful."

Take a closer look at the self-powered camera's abilities in the University's video above.