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kairos

Open source hardware

A camera trigger for the exact moment.

Kairos is a time-based camera trigger. It wakes your camera and starts and stops recording at the second you choose. You set it from your phone.

View on GitHub Read the docs
Next ยท Stop recording Attempt 1
wake start T-0 stop
Choose when the camera wakes, when it starts recording and when it stops, all around T-0.

Built to record a rocket launch without anyone next to the camera. It does one thing: be ready, and press record at the right second.

Features

Everything you need to hit the moment.

How it works

Set it up once. Then walk away.

  1. 01

    Set the attempts

    Add your T-0 times, then set three timings: when to wake the camera, when to start recording, and when to stop.

  2. 02

    Run a test

    Run a test from the app to check that everything works with your camera.

  3. 03

    Leave

    Walk away. Kairos wakes the camera and starts and stops recording on schedule.

Apps

For iPhone and Android.

Set up and control Kairos from your phone. You can:

  • Find and connect to devices, and pair with the button
  • Show live status with a countdown to the next event
  • Edit the schedule and the camera settings
  • Run a test, and wake, start, stop and sleep the camera by hand
  • Show the device log, live
The Kairos app during a recording: status, a T-minus countdown to the next event, camera controls and the schedule.

Download

Get the app.

iPhone

Build it yourself

Not on the App Store. You build it with Xcode and install it on your own iPhone.

Install on iPhone
  1. On a Mac, install Xcode 16 or later, and get the source: 
    git clone https://github.com/nprail/kairos.git
open kairos/apps/ios/Kairos.xcodeproj
  2. In Signing & Capabilities, choose your team (a free Apple ID works) and change the bundle identifier to one that is unique to you.
  3. Connect an iPhone running iOS 17 or later, and turn on Developer Mode in Settings, Privacy & Security.
  4. Choose your iPhone in Xcode and press Run.

Bluetooth doesn't work in the Simulator, so use a real iPhone. An app signed with a free Apple ID stops opening after 7 days. Run it from Xcode again to renew it.

Android

By invitation

In a closed test on Google Play. You need an invitation to install it.

Install on Android

Email [email protected] with the email address of your Google account, and you'll be added.

Needs Android 8.0 or later. You can also build the app from the source: see apps/android.

Hardware

Small, simple hardware.

A small ESP32-based device that sits next to your camera and connects to it. It has one button, and it runs from a small battery pack.

Read the hardware guide
Camera
Connects to your camera, wired.
Phone
Controlled from the iPhone or Android app.
Pairing
One button. Only your phone can control the device.
Power
Starts in seconds and is light on power. A small battery pack is enough.

Build one. Change it.

Everything is in one repository: the device software, the iPhone and Android apps, and the documentation. It is open source.

View on GitHub Read the docs