The LyfieEye is a plug-in 360-degree camera for your smartphone from startup eCapture, who also promise 3D scanning in a future update.

With social media offering 360-degree photo and video options, more people are becoming interested in camera attachments for their mobiles. Still, previous 360-degree cameras have been too expensive for most of us.

Plus, from just pairing a device to uploading a video, the process has often been way too complicated. Or it wasn’t possible to see what it looked like before taking the shot.

eCapture, a startup from Santa Clara, is trying to fix that. They offer a little round camera which plugs right into your smartphone. They call it the LyfieEye.

At $150, it’s not a steal, but it is one affordable option out there on the market. You just plug the camera into your device and shoot your video. Share it instantly online with just a few clicks.

And eCapture are promising that this isn’t the only part of the camera technology that’s interesting. Even though the camera is still in its early days, spokesmen say that later it will be possible to take pictures that digitally model an object.

In theory, that means you’ll be able to scan and create a 3D printable model from a 360 degree image. How will the process work? Details are unclear, but apparently it’s in the works.

Check out the very cheesy sneak peek preview in the video below:

Take a 360-Degree Selfie with LyfieEye

The LyfieEye began on Kickstarter where backers pledged $53,957, over double the $25,000 goal. The first batch is now ready to be shipped to crowdfunding supporters.

For anyone with an Android phone, the HD picture is fairly sharp. Check out the videos on the company’s YouTube channel.

If you’re an Apple iPhone user, however, then consider waiting. Right now the device only works with Android phones. This is due to Apple’s tough requirements for third party hardware.

The LyfieEye also has a downloadable app which shows a live view from your camera. You can easily shorten and post your videos online.

In the future, the company is planning to sell the camera in Asia and North America. For now, you can only buy a LyfieEye online.

If you don’t mind shelling out 150 bucks, this could be just the camera for your social media posting pleasure. And being able to scan and 3D print those selfies in future could be an exciting new feature.

Source: Mashable