Simple Smartphone Headmount

DIY headmount for handsfree video recording.
This 10 dollar smartphone telescope headmount is connected to reading glasses. Head movements result in stable and smooth video recordings. The hands are free to operate the menu on the screen or show something in front of the camera.

The best eye - screen distance can be set by the telescopes. From about 5 to 8 inch or 12 to 20 cm.

Some people need reading glasses to see clearly. In folded position the duopod is not much bigger than the specs. The construction is made in an hour with just a few tools. The 5 part telescope pen is a pick-up tool with a magnet at the tip. The grip parts are made from aluminum U-profile. They are connected to the 4th telescope part. The smartphone is holded by this 'claws' with a rubber band at the back. It's that simple.

Step 1: Video

Step 2: Material and Construction

The 2 telescope's are pick-up tools with a magnet at the top. I made 2 grip pieces from alluminium U-profile. The size is 1 inch (25mm) long and 0.4 inch (10mm) square. A hole of 0.2 inch (4.8mm) is drilled In the middle. The photo shows the way this grip piece is connected (glued) to the 4th telescope part. The magnets are cut away and instead I glued a bold with spacer at the top. The telescope's are connected to glasses with tyraps.

Step 3: Conclusion

My expierence with the Duopod was positive. I could make smooth pan and tilt movements with my head. The recorded video shots where stable. There was enough space beside the phone screen for orientation. I was able to operate the menu of the camera freely. My wife advised to make the Duopod more comfortable to wear. There was much pressure at the nose. This prototype needs more fine tuning. All by all I think it is worth a go. It's a simple and cheap device and.... very useful.

Comments

[dfoulkes]

File a patent as soon as you can. After watching a number of very jerky YouTube fix it vids ...this would be a seller! Great thinking on your part!

[Berto Aussems]

Hello dfoulkes; I follow the principles of George Wiseman about no patenting. See:

http://www.eagle-research.com/nopatent/patfree.html

[gabrielma]

Interesting!!

[shannonlove]

Wiseman is a nutjob:

"There is a man with a proven over-unity machine that has been trying to patent it for over twenty years."

Yeah, right, a "proven" technology that by it's mere operation overturns the Second Law of thermodynamics…not to mention an innate potential to literally blow up the entire planet.

The patent law does not judge the suitability or workability of any device for any purpose but does judge whether patents make claims that violate basic laws of physics e.g.you can't get a patent for a faster than light drive either. This came about in the late 1800s when con artist used the apparent approval of the patent office to claim that the government itself had determined that a the con-artist scam was proven to work.

You can actually get a patent for perpetual-motion/free-energy/over-unity invention, you just can't claim in the patent that it actually is that kind of device. E.g.a lot of such devices are patented as novelty items or toys.

Neither does he understand the history of the patent system. Far from being a benefit for big players, patents, like all property systems, disproportionately protect the little guy against the innate power of the big guys. Just as private land ownership give the homeowner the right to tell the biggest corporation to bugger off if they try to buy the property, patents give the right of small players to block major corporations form using their inventions.

If nothing else, the current system gives to much power to small players with overly broad patents. Google "patent troll."

It is true that patents must be defended but that is true of redressing all non-violent transgressions against private property e.g is someone builds across your property line, you have to sue them to get redress. Nobody thinks that odd even though the system can be abused.

It is also true that for the subset of products that have little R&D cost, little manufacturing ramp cost and short-time to market, patents can be more of a drag than benefit.

But for products that have significant R&D cost, major manufacturing ramp cost and long time to market, the products simply would not exist without patents. Nobody is going to sink hundreds of millions into developing a major new tech just to let anyone start with the advantage in the market place of not having the debt of the R&D.

An idea like yours is one with low R&D and manufacturing ramp cost so a patent would be largely useless, at least a prelude to making it public. But I would point out that the phones themselves rest on hundreds if not thousands of patents, all in combination protecting billions of dollars in R&D cost over the last 20 years.

Smart phones themselves would not exist without patents.

[JeffreyC4]

Not sure how this would work for long, considering most Androids weight at least half a pound. My nose would be crunched or it would simply tip down, unless I held my head at a high angle. And now that I read the last paragraph, you already found that out. You will most likely need something with a strap around the head, like a diving mask affair.

[Berto Aussems]

Hello Jeffrey. To carry the specsmount for 5 minutes is no problem. For a long time it is better to use foam between the specs and nose. I used a strap at the back of my head.

[shannonlove]

Adding a counterweight to the back might help with heavier phones.

[wkastner]

Cheap google glasses!

[Daimani]

Lol

[marekspedycja]

super

[shubhamhagavane7]

awesome :)

[pacowang]

Brilliant!

[ekiessling]

This is a great idea. I am glad to find it. Thank you.

[possie]

Where can you find the telescoping parts? I love the idea, but need to source the materials

[Berto Aussems]

Hi Possie, you find the materials in the DIY market or a car parts shop. The telescope's is 5" retracted and 24" extended.

[Aiesas]

I like the idea!!

[stupidname]

Lol selfie!

[CREATECRAFTANDLIVE]

this is like google cardboard!

what you can do is put two small convex lenses approxamitely at their focal point so you can see the screen, and turn i t into a cheap vr viewer

[shashankgowda]

I like it sir, iam impressed

[shashankgowda]

I like it sir, iam impressed