Developer extends target

The meMINI camera prototype. Photo supplied.
The meMINI camera prototype. Photo supplied.

Wanaka entrepreneur Sam Lee has set a new crowd-funding target for his proposed ''meMINI'' wearable video camera.

Mr Lee launched a campaign earlier this month to raise $US50,000 to fund the development of the camera, which captures up to five minutes of events occurring before the user presses the recall button.

The money was pledged through the ''kickstarter'' website within eight days and Mr Lee told the Otago Daily Times from Auckland yesterday the money would be spent reducing the size of the camera's electronic circuit board.

Once that was done, the camera would go into production and those who provided funding pledges would have a camera by late June.

Mr Lee said he and partner Ben Bodley, of Auckland, had now ''stretched'' their target to $US150,000 so the camera could be further refined.

Improvements were likely to include development of a custom-made battery and lens, to enable the camera to be slimmed down as much as 5mm from its 21.5mm.

Mr Lee launched the fundraising campaign while at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

He considered 350 backers pledging $US50,000 validated the idea for the camera.

''We know that it's obviously a lifestyle product that people want.''

Mr Lee said the advantage of the camera was its ability to capture a short clip, which did not need editing, that could be put straight on to social media.

Asked why he did not simply borrow the money from the bank, Mr Lee said crowd-sourced funding allowed people to ''get on board, see your vision and go on a journey''.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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