These Tiny Cameras Can Take Lots of Heat

By Richard Sandomir
Published: May 24, 1992

The quest to find new ways to use miniaturized cameras at the Indianapolis 500 (today at 11 A.M., Channel 7) continues unabated. The other day, technicians mounted one of the lipstick-sized, two-ounce cameras near a car's exhaust system only to see it melt within seconds of a pit stop.

"When the car was under way, air flowed through the car so the heat was removed," said John Porter, a pioneer in adapting the cameras to auto racing, "but when it stopped, the heat stagnated and temperature shot up." ...

A version of this article appeared in print on May 24, 1992, on page 82 of the New York edition.

The print version did not break a paragraph between the second and third sentences, and contained a drawing from ABC Sports. The drawing is a plan view of an abstract indy racecar, showing four cameras mounted: rear-view, main wing, face and tail. The drawing also shows the positions of a battery, camera control unit, microwave antenna, and microwave transmitter.