Indiegogo is committed to accessibility. If you have difficulty using our site, please contact support@indiegogo.com for assistance or view our accessibility notice by clicking here
HELP US BUILD A FOOTBALL HELMET CAMERA. AND IF WE DO NOT REACH OUR FUNDING GOAL, YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE SEE OUR FAQ SECTION (BELOW).
PocketCam
PocketCam is a high definition camera system that is uniquely designed to place one right in the middle of the field. Fully integrated and fabricated into the face mask portion of the helmet, PocketCam will unobtrusively allow one to easily fasten and remove the entire camera-unit as seen fit. This design safely allows for continuous performance by an athlete while presenting sports fans and television viewers the "ultimate" camera angle.
Our Goal
With this project, our goal is to certify our face mask camera-unit with the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE). We would like to meet all the required safety standards.
No football helmet camera should ever make its way onto the field unless it is approved the governing body of NOCSAE. Anyone can just put a camera-unit on a football helmet for the practice field. We want to take it to the next level, and it all starts with safety.
We would like to see PocketCam on the field, and on television, sometime soon in the future.
Current Project
Again, this project is all about safety. This project:
is PHASE I (see image below)
is NOT about selling PocketCam as individual "units" (we are not a helmet manufacturer; this campaign will not offer individual units of PocketCam as campaign rewards).
is NOT any sort of promise that a football helmet camera is ready for the field, and thus, ready for "live action" (one step at a time; that is PHASE III).
has NOTHING to do with building the network that will be required to get a live video feed off the field/player and to the sideline (that is PHASE II). This will be a challenge, and this is outside the scope of this current project.
is NOT placing any part of the camera-unit (e.g., battery, circuit board, etc.) inside the body of the helmet.
Helmet Cam Videos We Like
Current Prototype
We need your help. Our current prototype was built a while back, and we noticed that it wasn't much; in fact, it wasn't what we wanted at all. So we added an engineer to our team.
This football helmet camera will be totally enclosed within the face mask portion of the helmet, and the entire unit can easily be unfastened and removed as seen fit (e.g., at halftime, one could take a unit off and put a new unit back on). This allows the battery unit and other components to be much smaller.
Once the camera-unit is inside the polycarbonate, plastic enclosure piece, it must be secured even further. We are leaning towards "potting" it into place with a silicone type plastic (Google the term "potting" or check out the video below). This would harden once it is applied into (or inside) the enclosure piece, securing the circuit board even further into place (this also prevents dirt, water, grass, etc. getting inside and reaching the camera unit / circuitry).
The silicone would also prevent any pieces of the camera system from fragmenting and possibly "exiting" or leaving the container piece. Our team determined that this additional safety measure should be a requirement (or a new standard) moving forward with this project, and a requirement for our future.
Therefore, this project's prototype will be required to meet 1) all NOCSAE testing standards for face masks and 2) our safety standard for preventing the "fragmentation" of the camera system.
Some welding work was
done, and we created somewhat of a "metal" container. However, metal
is not ideal for radio frequency transmission, so we are going with plastic
instead.
This camera is not HD at
all; in fact, it was like the smallest unit we could find. But the unit is
outside the face mask, and therefore, in the wrong place.
Design
The design of our camera-unit will secure all of the circuitry, including the battery, completely within the structure of the face mask (a restructured face mask; no current face mask is "big enough" or has enough room). Once in place, we will "enclose" the unit with a polycarbonate plastic piece (the same material as the body of the helmet).
A smaller battery unit means less time running (or recording time) "on the field." However, in theory, at the end of a quarter or during halftime, one unit can be taken off and another can be put back on.
Another important aspect of this entire project is the "style" or design of the actual face mask; what the unit will look like. We understand that our unit may look a little different.
Football players are not as recognizable as athletes in other sports (e.g., basketball, soccer, baseball, etc). A helmet and face mask cover up most of the athlete's face. We noticed that football players are trending towards customized face masks. This allows players to become more recognizable to the fans on television when they are on the field.
So the design of PocketCam must look somewhat cool. Otherwise, no player would be willing to wear it).
"Recondition Face Mask" - $170 (re-apply paint for certification)
NOCSAE fee - $800 (approx.)
Miscellaneous Costs - $6,115
Total: $105,000.00 USD
Completion of Project
What does "completed" mean here exactly? Well, this project completed means we have managed to re-design and build-out our prototype, and we have taken it to a facility to get tested and approved by NOCSAE. Pass or fail, the project will be complete once our results come back.
NOCSAE
The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) sets safety standards for all sports equipment used in a variety of sports - from football helmets to soccer shin guards, and everything in between.
We believe that any athlete or player "point-of-view" camera system, whether implemented into football, baseball, hockey, etc., should meet all the standards set forth by NOCSAE prior to making its way onto the field or ice.
Kurt Meadows - CFO, Co-Founder - Kurt is the financial component to our company, and is also passionate about cultivating relationships and building opportunities. Kurt graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Finance.
Phillip Guerra - CEO, Co-Founder - Phillip is the vision of our company, and provides the business strategy component to our team. Phillip also graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Marketing.
Raj Patel - CTO, Co-Founder - Raj is the technical side of our company, and is the engineer who will be designing and building the circuitry for this current project. Raj graduated from Northwestern University with a Masters degree in Computer Engineering. He has 3.5 years of experience in computer engineering and circuitry design, and has worked at Intel, Synopsys and Einfochips.
Miscellaneous
With this project, we want to be as transparent with all of our backers and supporters as we possibly can. We will be keeping you guys updated on everything (maybe too many updates). You deserve it.
As far as our Indiegogo video is concerned, we created it ourselves and it was the best we could do. Please do not make fun of us (we can only tolerate so much).
We are patent pending.
A special thanks to Jahzzar for the songs "Car Crash" and "Toy Weapons II." We used both songs in our video, and we found the artist on Vimeo Music Store. Please visit http://betterwithmusic.com
T-shirts are below.
Risks and Challenges
Again, we want to be as open, honest and transparent with all of our backers as possible (we cannot stress this enough). This is our first Indiegogo project (and with your help, it will not be our last). Below are the risks and challenges:
1) Our helmet camera may not pass all of the impact tests. Thus, the face mask will not meet NOCSAE approval.
2) Our circuit board could fragment or be completely destroyed during testing,.
3) The engineering of the circuit board will be a challenge. It must be small enough to fit within the customized face masks, and it must be able to transmit wireless video during our actual tests (successfully).
4) The plastic enclosure piece must be designed and built from the ground up; it will more than likely be an injection molding of polycarbonate plastic. And overall, it must be a "thin" piece (keeping the thickness of the plastic piece that will house the circuitry "thin" will be a challenge).
5) We have noticed some other Indiegogo projects have run into unexpected costs along the way. This is a risk for us, as it is for many projects on this website.
FAQ's
- What is
crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is the
collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, usually via
the Internet, to
support efforts initiated by other people or organizations.
Our company went with crowdfunding because the traditional
route of investing and raising capital somewhat fell short (for where our
company is now). The investors we have spoken with all wanted to see a
prototype, and we understood that. So we started looking at other ways to raise
the money, and here we are.
- Why PocketCam?
We came up with this idea and realized that there has not
been a technological advancement in the television broadcast of football games since
the aerial camera was first introduced in 2001 (and that never started in
college or in the NFL). Prior to that was when the “yellow line” or “first down
line” aired on TV, and that was in 1996! It is time for something else; it is
time for something new.
Most of us do not know what it is like to step onto the
field on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Most of us will never get that
opportunity to play sports on a professional level. PocketCam would allow a television
viewer to feel like that top-rated quarterback; they would get to see what he
is looking at, and experience the game from a completely different perspective.
- What is NOCSAE?
Good question. NOCSAE is the National Operating Committee on
the Standards for Athletic Equipment. We strongly believe that any helmet
camera, prior to making its way onto the field, pitch or ice, should first be
approved (for safety reasons) by the governing body. Our goal is to have
PocketCam pass all of their safety tests.
- Is the NFL, NCAA,
any team, Riddell, Schutt or any other helmet manufacturer behind your
crowdfunding campaign?
No. It is too early for that. We are in Phase I (see image above). Once we have completed this phase,
passed the NOCSAE safety tests, and designed/built the network that will be
required (Phase II), we will then
approach these organizations with a viable field-side production service to be
implemented into television broadcasts.
- Why is PocketCam
designed the way that you are showing it?
We decided that we wanted to stay out of the “main body” of
the helmet; no circuitry should be inside that actual helmet, thus,
jeopardizing a player’s safety. So we went with a design of a camera unit being
completely integrated into the face mask portion of the helmet.
- What about the
battery life of PocketCam? Wouldn’t the battery life be short?
Yes, and that is ok. Our design would allow one unit (let’s
say at halftime) to be taken off, and a new one to be put on in its place. We
do not need the battery life to last 5-6 hours, so our battery unit (and other
components) can be much smaller. Your average game on TV runs between 3 - 3.5
hours.
- How will PocketCam be
able to withstand football related hits?
Yes, we understand that PocketCam will be right in the front
of the helmet (and arguably, it will take on a lot of hits during a game). The
unit will house the circuitry within the confines of the face mask, and then it
will be secured in two ways – a plastic container piece (this will wrap around
the metal bars of the face mask, and is made from the same material as the body
of the helmet) AND a technique called
“potting.” Both will help the unit resist the shock, vibration and football
related hits.
Furthermore, we can be selective with the type of player the unit goes on (i.e., the player's position - running back / linebacker vs. quarterback / punter / kicker).
- What is “Potting”?
Potting is a process of filling a complete electronic
assembly with a solid or gelatinous compound for resistance to shock and
vibration, and for exclusion of moisture and corrosive agents.
Yes. Our engineer has been hard at work, and we are ready to move forward. The entire process (we are hoping) will take about 3 months to build the prototype (4 of them) out.
Please feel free to
ask us any question in the comments section, and we will add the most common
questions to this list as soon as we get your feedback.
Looking for more information?Check the project
FAQ
Thank you for helping us out! You will receive all of our updates on Indiegogo!
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 claimed
CEO Push-Ups
$5 USD
Now we're talkin'! Our CEO will do a push-up for every dollar earned in this pledge category - no supplements here, just raw power!
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 claimed
Recognition on our Website
$10 USD
Here we go! Send us your name (or your stage name, that works too), and we'll put it on our website. We want to thank you forever. Your name is there to stay.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 claimed
PocketCam T-Shirt (white)
$20 USD
An exclusive PocketCam t-shirt. You want a white shirt, eh? You got it. Your name is going on our website too.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 out of 5000 of claimed
PocketCam T-Shirt (black)
$20 USD
An exclusive PocketCam t-shirt. A black t-shirt it is then. Your name is also going on our website.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 out of 2500 of claimed
Email from a Co-Founder
$25 USD
Let's get personal...Receive a personal e-mail from one (1) of our co-founders. Tell us who you are, and tell us where you are from so we can relate to you a bit. Your name is going on our website too!
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 claimed
Video Updates
$30 USD
Get into the action! Every $30 backer will receive exclusive video updates as we film our progress every step of the way (even on testing day). Your name will also be put on our website.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 claimed
PocketCam T-Shirt (white)
$35 USD
An exclusive PocketCam t-shirt. You want a white shirt, eh? You got it. Your name is going on our website too.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 out of 4500 of claimed
PocketCam T-Shirt (black)
$35 USD
An exclusive PocketCam t-shirt. A black t-shirt it is then. Your name is also going on our website.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 out of 1500 of claimed
Exclusive Updates
$50 USD
Every $50 backer will be the first to know whether PocketCam is approved or not by the NOCSAE come testing day. Each of you will receive updates on the day(s) we test (and video, if video is permitted in the facility). As soon as we know, you know. Be sure to keep your phone on.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 claimed
Phone Call from Co-Founder
$70 USD
HUGE SUPPORT!! A personal phone call from one (1) of our co-founders. We would be happy to talk more about the project in detail.
Estimated Shipping
December 2013
0 out of 300 of claimed
Video Chat with Co-Founder
$100 USD
Thank you, this is great! A personal video chat from one (1) of our co-founders. We would be happy to talk more about the project. Your name is also going on our website.