They say that nothing takes you out of a fun situation quite like filming it – you stop being a participant, and start being an observer. That said, people still like their home videos. Small wearable camcorders are one solution to the problem, although users are left with a ton of raw footage to sift through. The meMINI offers an alternative. It "rewrites" a continuous loop of video, but will save the previous few minutes of footage whenever the user presses its one button.
The looping feature employed by the meMINI is the same as that used by some actioncams.
Ordinarily, it continuously records one several-minute stretch of footage after another, each one replacing the one that was recorded before it. If something noteworthy happens, however, the user instructs it to save that one stretch of footage, which it does. As a result, instead of having to subsequently shuttle through hours of mostly-unremarkable video, the user is just left with the good stuff ... and a little bit of filler to edit out.
The meMINI's loop lengths can be set from five seconds up to five minutes on an accompanying app, via Bluetooth. That app also lets users see what the camera is seeing on their mobile device screen, plus it allows them to share videos online. Those videos are stored in the cloud, although there's also a limited amount of onboard memory for times when the internet can't be accessed.
The camera itself records at a maximum resolution of 1080p/30fps, has a built-in mic and image stabilization, and a 140-degree field of view. One charge of its 1800-mAh battery should be good for three hours of use. It attaches to clothing (assuming that's what you want to do with it) using a magnetic clamp.
meMINI's New Zealand-based creators are currently raising production funds on Kickstarter, and have surpassed their funding goal. A pledge of US$169 will get you one, when and if they're good to go.
More information is available in the pitch video below.
Sources: meMINI, Kickstarter
These types of consumer goods could take away a lot of the surveillance state issues by putting the control of the data in the hands of individuals, not institutions and help clamp down on tough to prosecute crimes like domestic abuse.