Gimbal cameras and drone cameras are capable of following action without a person behind the camera – but a robotics startup is launching a mini robot camera to follow you around on wheels. Beni is a personal camera robot with 4K video, auto-follow capabilities and even the ability to climb stairs.
The California-based Mondo Robotics calls Beni the “first portable, all-terrain robot that independently films while following you around.”
Beni sounds a bit like a camera drone that wheels around the ground rather than taking to the skies. The camera robot has obstacle avoidance built in, along with smart video tracking that can be set to follow the action from different angles.
The company says that Beni’s wheels are meant for all terrains, with the little bot being capable of speeds of up to 18mph / 28.9kph. The small robot is even able to jump as high as 3.9 inches / 10 cm and righting itself if it tips over, which the company says gives it the ability to climb stairs.
The camera robot can shoot 4K 30p footage with a 16:9 aspect ratio. A 60p frame rate is available at 3K, while 100p slow-motion is available in FullHD.
Mondo Robotics, however, says that Beni isn’t just a camera – the robot can nod and shake its head, and also has a game mode where it can jump and flip.
The little robot weighs less than four pounds, the company says. Beni's small stature and eyes remind me a bit of one of my favorite Disney characters, WALL•E.
Beni is Monbdo Robotics' first launch, arriving via a Kickstarter campaign that opened on July 08. All crowdfunding projects come with risks, but the camera robot exceeded the original funding goal in a matter of minutes.
Early pledges start at $549 with a $799 expected retail price. The company also ships to the UK, Canada and Australia, where that early pledge converts to about £410 / CA$779 / AU$795.
Editor's note: As with all crowdfunding projects, there is no guarantee that the final product will match the early depictions in the campaign – or that the final product will be completed or delivered at all. DCW does not endorse this or any other crowdfunding campaign.
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For more cameras that can track action, consider a gimbal camera like the popular DJI Osmo Pocket series or the Insta360 Luna. Or, take a look at the best drones for beginners.
