Portable and compact, low-cost pan / tilt magnetic actuation of a fixed video camera

摘要

A pan/tilt apparatus (110) for a camera includes a base (111), a stage (120) mounted on the base (111) to rotate around a vertical pan axis (Z), an optical apparatus (130) mounted on the stage (120), a pan actuating mechanism (140), and a tilt actuating mechanism (150). The optical apparatus (130) includes a frame (132) that supports a magnetic structure (134) and a mirror (135) such that they are pivotable around a horizontal tilt axis (T). The mirror (135) receives an image directed along an incident axis, and redirects the image along the pan axis (Z), e.g., to a camera that is disposed on or below the base (111). The pan actuating mechanism (140) engages and rotates the stage (120) into a desired pan direction. The tilt actuating mechanism modulates (150) (alters) a magnetic field applied to the mirror (135) /magnetic structure (134) by, for example, moving a permanent magnet (152) that is mounted on the base (111).