Buried Camera for Hidden Foes
Okay. Let's say you want to keep watch over a terrorist hide-out -- a close watch. You can't just hook a surveillance camera to the side of the building, or the belly of the cave. You've got to hide it somewhere. A new Israeli invention might be able to help.
The Mini Unattended Ground Imager (MUGI) is a 9-pound, jug-sized "multispectral, medium-range surveillance system designed to detect, identify and optionally target individuals on the move," according to Defense News. But the best part is that the device can be "buried underground, with only its periscope viewfinder protruding some four inches above ground. The finger-sized protrusion is then easily concealed by any number of camouflaged items or environmental debris and remains in place from 10 days to three months, depending on the operational life of the lithium batteries and external power packs.
Designed in response to Israeli military requirements and endorsed by... Israelā€™s Ministry of Defense, MUGI features a daytime color camera and nighttime infrared sensor for round-the-clock recognition of suspected terrorists or intruders.
During the day, MUGI has a range of some 3,000 meters, but at night is limited to about 1,000 meters. A mechanical device holding both cameras within the MUGIā€™s carbon fiber canister enables rotation and tilting, for horizontal and vertical scanning as well as zooming.
[In addition to being buried,] the MUGI also can be prepackaged in Hollywood-style props that donā€™t have to be buried, but are strategically positioned along streets, valleys or terraces in high-threat areas. Whether partially buried or disguised by props, the only element that must remain unobstructed is a small 1.2 inch-by-3.2 inch surveillance slit.
