NASA Among First to Use Lytro Dev Kit

Lytro, maker of the "shoot first, focus later" camera, has released a hardware developer kit that enables third-party developers to use the company's tech in new ways.

The first product launched on the Lytro Platform, this move marks the company's expansion beyond camera manufacturing; its next-gen Illum light field camera (pictured) was unveiled in April.

Lytro will serve as a strategic partner and help customers discover new use cases, automate processes, and design custom hardware.

With access to a dedicated prototyping board, sensor, C-mount lens, and focal plane shutter, the company hopes to usher in a new wave of pioneers in holography, microscopy, architecture, security, and other imaging fields.

Customers may, for example, optimize a special lens for analyzing soil samples, or customize a thermal sensor to analyze heat signatures.

"We always believed that light field technology could benefit areas outside of photography," Lytro CEO Jason Rosenthal said in a statement. "Since Lytro's inception, we've continually been approached by a number of organizations wanting to collaborate with us on a wide variety of new applications."

"While we continue to redefine the photography market, today we are excited to extend the capabilities of the light field to new applications through the launch of the Lytro Platform," Rosenthal continued.

Available now for $20,000, the Lytro Development Kit (LDK) has already caught the eye of major players like NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is using the technology to develop new light field cameras for use on future space missions.

Other early supporters include startup General Sensing, the Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), and an undisclosed "major industrial partner that develops a range of products for government applications," according to Lytro.

"We have been closely following Lytro's developments over the past few years, which is why we're thrilled to have the opportunity to take advantage of its innovative technology," said Philip Liang, CEO of General Sensing. "We look forward to collaborating with Lytro to realize the transformational potential of light field in our organization."

Lytro will eventually release other products as part of the Lytro Platform.

About Stephanie Mlot

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B.A. in Journalism & Public Relations with minor in Communications Media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)

Reporter at The Frederick News-Post (2008-2012)

Reporter for PCMag and Geek.com (RIP) (2012-present)

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