The highest-altitude camera in the world brings Everest to the Internet

Mobotix achieves the record of operating the webcam, model M12, installed at the highest altitude in the world and with temperatures of up to 30º below zero.

Mobotix has been the manufacturer chosen by the Nepalese government to participate in the project that will determine the exact height of the mountain. Other high-tech devices will also be used in the “Everest Share 2011” research project. Within the framework of the international project “Share” (Stations at High Altitude for Research on the Environment) for the observation of climate and the environment, meteorological conditions will be recorded, among other things, using a Mobotix camera.

Although the measurement results will probably not be ready for two years, it is currently possible to see live images of the “Everest Share 2011” research project in this web.

This is possible thanks to a Mobotix camera with which this company achieves a new record: operating the webcam installed at the highest altitude in the world, and with temperatures of up to 30 degrees below zero.

The Ev-K2-CNR scientific committee in Bergamo, Italy, has installed a Moboix model M12 camera on the summit of nearby Kala Patthar (5,675 meters above sea level) that offers impressive images of Everest, 8,848 meters above sea level. In addition to Mount Everest, the recording also shows the South Col, which appears on the right side of the image. The view is updated every five minutes, so you can even follow the movements of the clouds around the summit. The webcam operates only during daylight hours (6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Nepal time, i.e. 11:45 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. CET).

The “Everest Share 2011” research project is part of the “Share” project for climate and environmental observation. The researchers have chosen Kala Patthar as the ideal place to install the camera, since from there you can get a good view of the west face of Mount Everest, the north and southwest wall and the west ridge. The camera sends the images via WiFi to the Ev-K2-CNR Pyramid Laboratory/Observatory, located at 5,050 meters above sea level. There they are analyzed and subsequently sent to Italy to undergo further evaluations.

Together with the data provided by the meteorological station installed at the highest altitude in the world (8,000 meters) on Everest, such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation and precipitation, researchers hope to expand knowledge about climate change and global warming.

Powered by a solar panel, the Mobotix camera provides high-quality images despite freezing temperatures of up to 30 degrees below zero. The camera is robust and versatile, making it ideal for use in harsh environmental conditions. The installation was carried out by Italian engineers and the Nepalese Ev-K2-CNR under the coordination of the director of its technical committee, Giampietro Kohl, who commented that "we have worked for months on the optimal configuration of the installation and we have invested a lot of time in testing and verifying the system. We were stimulated by the idea of ​​achieving a record: launching the web camera installed at the highest altitude in the world."