A new camera lens device with a variety of applications, from professional photography to surveillance and security cameras, has won the top prize at the state government’s inaugural Inventor of The Year Awards.
Premier Alan Carpenter presented the award to Roland Butcher, managing director of Live Technologies, for his LiveLens technology, which improves image quality by increasing exposure latitude in all types of cameras.
Mr Butcher, a graphic designer and director of photography, said he had experienced first hand the problems associated with poor exposure in photography.
“I realised that there were major limitations to camera systems that are accepted by photographers, and I felt that something could be done,” Mr Butcher told WA Business News.
“There is a lot of struggle in achieving an image in professional photography in the same way the eyes would see the scene.”
LiveLens utilises liquid crystal technology, and is made using the same manufacturing processes as digital projectors.
Mr Butcher said the original concept was slightly ahead of the technology itself in its initial stages, but now that the technology was more widely used, the device could be manufactured, and made available, at more competitive rates.
LiveLens has a range of applications, including consumer digital and video cameras, SLR cameras, medicine (for endoscopes and microscopes) and military (gun sights), telescopes and binoculars.
The device could also be used in surveillance and closed circuit television cameras to improve image capture and more easily identify offenders.
“Image loss [in security cameras] prevents the identification of criminals, so we had a strong interest in being able to deal with that,” Mr Butcher said.
As the inventor of the year, Mr Butcher received prizes valued at $100,000, a much-needed contribution to the company’s overall fundraising efforts, he said.
The company has set a target of raising $750,000, which will go towards technical efforts and developing its networks overseas, particularly in the US.
“This will take us to the next stage of investment. We need to bring in overseas involvement, find suitable investor candidates and export advisers,” he said.
