Beverly, MA—SiOnyx, a developer of infrared imaging technology, announced that the Kickstarter launch for the SiOnyx Aurora went past its $50K goal. In fact, the campaign for the consumer action cam achieved three times more than its target in the first four days of its public debut. Moreover, the Aurora is now available for preorder.
The Aurora day/night action camera marks SiOnyx’s entry into the consumer electronics market. The device is billed as the “only HD action video camera with true day and night color imaging.” Scheduled to be available in the third quarter of 2018, Aurora is based on SiOnyx Ultra Low Light technology, which is protected by more than 40 patents.
Until now, the technology was only available in the highest end night vision optics costing tens of thousands of dollars. The identical technology has now been cost reduced for use in Aurora and other upcoming consumer devices from SiOnyx and its partners.
“We are both humbled and extremely excited by the incredible response Aurora has received in just the first few days of its Kickstarter,” said Stephen Saylor, president and CEO of SiOnyx. “Aurora is tapping into the massively underserved market for action cameras with real night vision at consumer prices. We are grateful to our current as well as our future backers as we continue this journey together.”
SiOnyx developed a new semiconductor process to dramatically enhance the infrared sensitivity of silicon-based imaging. “Its ultra-low-light technology enables richly defined color images and video during the day and twilight, combined with unmatched high-resolution viewing in near total darkness,” Saylor added. Sample videos may be found at sionyx.com.
SiOnyx Aurora Features
The SiOnyx Aurora weighs just under 8 ounces and is sized to fit comfortably in one hand for operation. Through free companion apps for iOS and Android, users can review their experiences in real time as well as control the Aurora from a phone.
Engineered for the active outdoor lifestyle, Aurora is also fully certified with an IP67 waterproof rating. Moreover, it is fully protected from dust and can withstand being submerged in about 3.3 feet of static water for up to 30 minutes.
The action cam offers transformative night video for a range of uses. These include hunting, fishing, boating, nature watching, emergency response and other activities where clear night vision is important.
In addition, a removable neck strap allows users to keep the camera accessible on any adventure. Aurora also uses GPS combined with an accelerometer and compass to accurately guide the way.
Other features include: a removable, rechargeable Lithium Ion battery; a 32GB microSD card; a USB cable; a lanyard; and also a microfiber carrying pouch. The SiOnyx Aurora will retail for $799.
SiOnyx
Founded in 2006 by Professor Eric Mazur and Dr. James Carey of Harvard University, SiOnyx’s goal has been to commercialize a patented semiconductor process that dramatically enhances the sensitivity of silicon-based photonics.
SiOnyx’s platform is said to represent a breakthrough in the development of smaller, lower cost, high-performing photonic devices. Their applications include simple light detection to advanced digital imaging. The company also markets its low-light technology under the XQE family of CMOS image sensors. sionyx.com
