| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically direct an optical axis of a camera horizontally at all the time when the camera is moved to an imaging position and stopped, so as to capture an image in any arbitrary direction within a horizontal plane in such a state. Ž<P>SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus includes: a hollow spherical outer shell formed from a translucent material; a camera housed in the outer shell for capturing an image; a control and communication means; a frame for mounting a battery thereon; a support means for supporting the frame freely movably with respect to the outer shell; and a drive means provided in the frame for relatively rotate the frame within the horizontal plane with respect to the outer shell through the control and communication means on the basis of a control command from the outside when the outer shell is stopped. The frame including a mounted object is configured to place its center of gravity at a specific position lower than the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell, and the camera is installed on the frame in such a way that the optical axis is directed horizontally at all the time when the center of gravity is placed at the specific position. Ž<P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT Ž
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