Watch Real-time Video from the Top of Mount Everest

  • Oct 11, 2011

Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is currently the focus of two different projects: The exact height of the mountain will be measured using cutting-edge technology in a project sponsored by the Nepalese government, and as part of the international climate and environmental monitoring conference "Share" (Stations at High Altitude for Research on the Environment), the weather conditions will be documented using a MOBOTIX camera.

The highest webcam in the world brings Everest to the Internet
Although the results of the height measurement may not be available for another two years, you can already see live images from the "Everest Share 2011" research project. Everybody can watch real-time video from the top of Mount Everest right from the comfort of the home computer. A MOBOTIX camera makes this possible and it sets a new record in the process: the operation of the highest webcam in the world at temperatures reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. The Ev-K2-CNR scientific committee from Bergamo, Italy, installed a type-M12 MOBOTIX camera on nearby Kala Patthar (5,675 meters tall). This camera is currently recording stunning images of the 8,848-meter tall Mount Everest. The video shows Mount Everest as well as the South Col Plateau on the right side of the image. The image is updated every five minutes. The webcam is only active during daylight hours (6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Nepalese time, which corresponds to 0:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Central European time).

Images for climate protection
The "Everest Share 2011" research project is taking place as part of the international "Share" climate and environmental monitoring conference. Researchers selected Kala Patthar as the camera location because it offers an excellent view of the western side of Mount Everest, including the north and southwest faces of the mountain and the West Ridge. The camera uses a wireless connection to transmit images to the Ev-K2-CNR Pyramid Laboratory/Observatory located at an altitude of 5,050 meters. Here, the video is analyzed and then sent to Italy for further evaluation. Researchers hope to learn more about climate change and global warming using this video, in conjunction with meteorological data, such as temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, sunlight and precipitation, gathered by the world’s highest weather station (8,000 meters) on Mount Everest.

The best image quality under extreme conditions
Powered by a solar panel, the MOBOTIX camera delivers high-quality images in spite of the icy temperatures, which can reach minus 30 degrees Celsius. Since the camera is robust and flexible, it is ideally suited for harsh environmental conditions. The installation was carried out by Italian engineers together with the Nepalese Ev-K2-CNR team and was coordinated by Giampietro Kohl, leader of the Ev-K2-CNR technical committee. 

"We spent months developing the perfect setup for the installation and invested a lot of time testing and verifying the system. And it inspired us on to set a record: operating the highest webcam in the world," Kohl said.

Featured

  • Integration Imagination: The Future of Connected Operations

    Security teams that collaborate cross-functionally and apply imagination and creativity to envision and design their ideal integrated ecosystem will have the biggest upside to corporate security and operational benefits. Read Now

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.