Panasonic Reveal Floor Lamp With Hidden Camera
In a move that leaves many considering whether it’s useful or creepy, Panasonic has opened an IndieGoGo campaign to gauge interest in a floor lamp with a hidden integrated camera.
Dubbed the HomeHawk FLOOR, Panasonic US’s campaign promises the device will offer home monitoring “with lighting, wide angle viewing, voice assistant integration and more”.
The HomeHawk intends to do away with bulky obvious cameras and offer peace of mind to homeowners, however, it has raised privacy concerns.
In addition to its claimed 1080p HD recording capability via its 140-degree wide-angle lens, the HomeHawk also includes a motion sensor which records two seconds before the sensor detects movement.
It also includes a microphone and speaker for two-way communication and can work with “major voice assistants” — most likely Alexa and Google Assistant, although Panasonic hasn’t inked any deals.
Concealing cameras in smart home products isn’t necessarily new, and this camera’s design isn’t expertly camouflaged with its large lens, however, it spells out a potential new trend where the design could become so refined that the camera would be unnoticeable.
According to the IndieGoGo campaign, the device is in the prototype stage and at the time of reporting, 25 of the 25 Super Early Bird (about AUD$257) and 15 of the 125 Early Bird (about AUD$276) slots are sold.
Both give May 20, 2019, as the approximate shipping date, no information on international shipping availability.