A Horizon-Stabilized Video Camera For Motorcycles

This is a video camera accessory I've been developing for use in motorcycle racing.

Comprised of a microcontroller, gyroscopic sensor, servo motor and battery, this device drives a camera mount to keep the image fixed with respect to the horizon as the motorcycle leans left or right.

Popularly called a "gyrocam", a broadcast TV version of a similar device was first seen on Valentino Rossi's MotoGP bike in 2010. The one I've developed performs just as well as Rossi's but was built on a hobby budget using a Gopro camera.

A previous version of this work, based on a Contour Roam camera, appeared here and here.

Features

Technical Details

The mechanical parts are 3D laser printed in nylon plastic by Shapeways from files I created with a cad modeling program called FreeCAD.

The printed circuit board was produced by OSH Park from files I created with a pcb design program called EAGLE.

The software is my own, inspired by multi-rotor flight control systems such as those used by OpenPilot and ArduPilot, but designed specifically for the quick motions and high vibration environment unique to motorcycle racing.

Other details:

Design info:

Want One?

I wish I could build more of these to sell, but I really don't have the time or resources to handle the number of requests I've been receiving. I've gotten email from all over the world asking about it. But it was just a hobby project and I have no plans to commercialize it. Sorry.

The Author

I'm a retired IBM software engineer. When I'm not playing with embedded electronics and electro-mechanical gadgets, I ride my CBR600RR in the mountains of East Tennessee, do occasional trackdays at Barber Motorsports Park and Tally GPR, or hang out on the hill with my photographer friends.


Derek Lieber ( derek_lieber at bellsouth dot net )
Last updated 28 Nov 2014