Check out this report from PopSci. I can think of a myriad of reasons why this little beauty would come in handy, not least of which is price.
3M Launches First Pocket Projector
And for the German speakers 3M Deutschland’s announcement.
Archive for the ‘Gadgets’ Category
3M Launches First Pocket Projector
Sunday, September 14th, 2008Mayflower’s Surefire Helmet Light Harness
Saturday, September 13th, 2008So you’ve got a Surefire helmet light and you love it but you don’t always wear a helmet. Also, you’ve been thinking how much you’d like your light to do more. Mayflower Consulting thought the same thing and came up with a simple, yet elegant solution to the problem. Their harness is used in concert with the MOLLE adapter holding it firmly in place and allowing the light to tilt like a headlamp. The harness is lightweight and won’t take up much room in your kit. In fact, it can be mounted on the helmet, converting the light for use more like a traditional headlamp.
Very well constructed, the harness is made from mil-spec elastic webbing and the light mount is crafted from a 330D multicam face backed with Coolmax. These materials sandwich a mesh foam padding which works in concert with the Coolmax to mitigate sweat.
It is the perfect accessory for your helmet light. Available in about four weeks for under $15.00.
Mayflower Consulting’s e-commerce site should be up within four weeks as well.
Cadex Inc. – Surveillance Tools
Friday, September 12th, 2008
You might think Cadex stands for Canadian Excellence once you get your hands on some of their kit. They have been building specialized equipment for some of the most exclusive customers in North America for some time and now they want to offer their products to a wider audience.
Of particular interest are the Modular Surveillance Rail and Spotting Scope Inverter. There seems to be quite a few companies coming out with similar products, but there are the real deal. They are actively in use by various organizations.
MODULAR SURVEILLANCE RAIL
It has been in production for around 2 years and was developed so a surveillance or sniper team could decrease the amount of gear they needed to carry by integrating a team’s organic equipment such as the same night vision (UNS) that you would mount on your rifle as well as using your spotting scope instead of purchasing (and carrying) specialized camera lenses.
Cadex is an interesting fusion of engineers, master machinists, and BTDTs. This team made sure all release buttons are easily manipulated in extreme environments such as cold weather and darkness and that every knob or adjustment wheel is pinned in place so you do not lose it by accident. The mount is CNCed from a billet of aluminum.
What’s really cool is that it mounts an M-4 rifle butt for added control in the prone. This also means it will mount to standard tripods or can be used with a front bipod and the quick detach M-4 butt.
Everything is designed to be modular and you can quickly remove any component say for instance, if you need only the day optic or spotting scope, camera, etc.
Cadex also manufactures interface adapters for the camera and spotting scope/night sight so there are no light issues.
Seen above is the Gen 1 model. Cadex is coming out with a GEN 2 that will have a universal camera mount in order to accommodate a wider range of cameras and night vision systems. They are also adding a Mil Std 1913 side rail for lasers, etc. The Gen 2 will be ready this fall.
SPOTTING SCOPE INVERTER
The spotting scope inverter has been in production for about 4 years and was designed to give the sniper a lower head position. Mil Std 1913 side rails were added to accommodate IR lasers for identifying targets. The trick to the inverter was was to make one unit that fit the three different models (seen below) that Leupold made over the last couple of years.
They also designed a bow in the rails to prevent any loosening or shaking.
Cadex is constantly improving their products based on feedback from their customers and will be releasing a new inverter in a couple of weeks that mounts an UNS in front of the scope.
Go to Cadex Defence to check out their line of products. They are constantly updating their product line so if you have specific requirements contact them directly.
Cejay Engineering’s Athena I
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
Last month we reviewed Cejay Engineering’s Phoenix Jr light. If you currently use a Phoenix or have a similar requirement, you can now upgrade to the amazing Athena 1. Like the Phoenix light the Athena I is an IR beacon that transmits a fixed flash rate, but that’s really where the similarities cease. The Phoenix light is very reliable but the only way to turn it on or off is to attach or detach the battery. With the Athena, the signal is turned ON or OFF simply by rotating the bezel located at the base of the unit.
In place of the rectangular 9v battery, the Athena I is powered by the CR-123 battery. These are the same batteries now used to power many weapons accessories so they are plentiful. Available in one or two battery versions, the Athena I equipped with two cells has a life expectancy of just under 550 hrs (with a constant “on” flashing IR signal, that’s around 21 days). Manufactured from a billet of aircraft aluminum, the waterproof cylinder walls are more than 2.5mm thick. Cejay has demonstrated that the beacon can withstand a Suburban driving over it without sustaining any cracks to the case or the special material the IR-LED’s are encased within.
The Athena’s optional base comes equipped with either a strong magnet, or can be permanently affixed via screws or adhesive to any surface. This allows you to simply slide the Athena into the base to mark vehicles or fighting positions.
Aside from the standard IR version the Athena is also available in a red training version.
For more information visit Cejay Engineering.
All photos courtesy of Cejay Engineering.
Note: Export Notification: Infrared Variants of the described products are regulated by the U.S. State Department in accordance with the guidelines of the International Traffic in Arms Regulation [ITAR] per title 22 code of federal regulations parts 120 – 130. Some Cejay products are available only to military and Law Enforcement personnel.
WindMate WM-200 Wind Meters
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008The WM-200 wind meter provides wind direction (accurate to +/- 2° by digital compass), wind speed (+/- 3% from .8-89 mph) up to 135 mph, temperature (windchill accuracy +/- 1.8° F), and cross wind as well as tail wind. Both wind direction and cross/tail wind are unique features among wind meters. The user can choose a variety of units to display data: Mph, km/h, kt, ft/min, m/s, BF (Beaufort) and F or C
Measuring a mere 5.5†x 1.75†x .75†when closed, the WM-200 weighs only 3.2oz with battery. Powered by a CR2032 replaceable Lithium battery, the WM-200 features an auto shutdown to preserve battery life. All this, backed by a two-year warranty.
For more information contact Speedtech Instruments.
Photos are courtesy of Speedtech Instruments.
Israeli Students Design “Batman” Suit
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Nite Ize S-biner Plastic
Sunday, September 7th, 2008Nite Ize makes an entire line of widgets like flashlight accessories and pouches for electronics. One of the coolest things they came out with last year was the S-biner. The original stainless steel S-Biner was recently awarded the 2008 Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice Award. Not bad.
This year they are launching a plastic version of the S-biner. Its a low profile, double gated, carabiner style clip, made from fiberglass reinforced nylon. Its dual opposing gates allow you to organize things such as keys. Available in both the #2 (2″ x 1″) and #4 (3-1/2″ x 1-9/16″) sizes color choices include Black, Red, Blue, Olive, Yellow and Pink. The new larger size #10 (10-3/8″ x 4-7/8″) is also available in Black.
For more information contact Niteize.
Warning: Not to be used for climbing or other life support applications.
All photos courtesy of Niteize.
Joby Gorillapod
Saturday, September 6th, 2008Joby’s Gorillapod is a grippy tripod with flexible legs that looks inspired by a Martian walker from “War of the Worlds”. It supports a variety of cameras and you wrap the legs around a fixed object in order to steady your shot. Its compact size and lightweight make it fantastic for tactical use. There is also a monopod version called the Solo that works well when coiled like a snake ready to strike.
The new Go-Go has interchangeable adapters at its tip, to support more than just cameras. Imagine the uses for other items like digital music/video players, Cell Phones, GPS, etc. It’s still equipped with the standard camera tripod mount, but now it also comes with a suction cup to attach to the back of flat shiny gizmos as well as an adhesive-backed pad for a more permanent attachment.
The Gorillapod is available in Black with White, Gray, Blue, Green, Pine Green, Pink, Red, and Yellow accents.
Visit Joby’s website for more info.
