Vicon has announced that within the next few months it'll be launching its intriguing Vicon Revue digital camera. The idea behind the Revue is that it sits on a cord around your neck all day taking photos at predetermined intervals - as often as every thirty seconds.

It also has a few sensors built in that can take photos at specific times. An accelerometer, temperature and light sensor can detect when you're entering a new environment and snap a photo of that, or an infrared sensor can take a picture when it detects the body heat of a person in front of you.

It has a 1GB memory, but the images taken are in pretty low resolution so it can fit 30,000 of them into that space. The lens is fisheye, though, so you'll get to see a bit more of your surroundings than you otherwise might.

The Revue was originally developed as the SenseCam by Microsoft, with the idea of allowing Alzheimers and Dementia patients to more easily recall the events of their day. Studies showed that use of the SenseCam helped long-term recall, too.

 Vicon has licensed the technology from Microsoft, though, and is making it available to consumers. Vicon's MD, Imogen Moorhouse, says that Microsoft took the decision to license the tech because it couldn't keep up with demand for the devices.

Vicon will be selling the unit for £500, and it'll initially be marketed to researchers. That'll go on sale before Christmas, and a consumer version should also show up in 2010. We'll bring you more news of that when we get it.

Via: newscientist.com

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