Mµ Thermal Imager - real or fake?

[Hypernova]

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but it looks like Mµ has been beaten by yet another similar product:

http://therm-app.com/

I don't see any pricing, but decent resolution (384x288)

Doubt this will be anywhere near mu's price target - my guess would be at least the price of an E4

A quick look a the parent company shows that they are defense/security oriented so this thing probably won't available to us for any price anyway.

[frenky]

Their main site has more useful data (Specifications tab):
http://www.opgal.com/MOBILE/MobileProducts/ThermApp.aspx

[scientist]

Still only 8.5Hz though. 

[CanadianAvenger]

the framerate is dictated by ITAR regulations in the US. So you're not going to see any product that can ship outside the US [from the US] with a rate greater than 9Hz. [except to approved countries]. This is one of the key sticking points on the validity of Mu's claims.

[Recyclojunk64]

Another update.

Hello everyone,

Things are progressing. Working out the kinks and finalizing some processes. We met again late last week with our final assembler to review the steps as we ready for production. There are many parts that they'll order and have at the ready, simply because they do so much work that requires these simple parts that they get them at a much lower price than we could. It is an amazing spectacle to watch Pick and Place machines work at the speed they do. That said, some of the work required to build the camera is specialized to the point that we're working with the assembly company to customize, automate and speed some of the processes, such as the lens focus.

We've had a little hiccup with the shutter supplier as that damn little piece of etched metal is being made and processed in three different states, Michigan, Oregon and California before being shipped to us in Illinois. We know that sounds stupid, but cost and quality actually play out better for us this way. Sometimes, things just make no sense, until they do.

We continue to interview to fill staff positions that will be required as we come to market. Thank heavens there are companies that specialize in logistics.

So you know, in reply to some of the comments, everyone who has requested a refund has received it, except for the handful of people from whom we're waiting on PayPal info. To the rest of you who've held out and been patient with us, we appreciate it and are rushing as fast as we can.

Cheers,
MuOptics

[echen1024]

And a few days later...

Hamsters ate our hard drives, so, well, you're screwed. By the way, my new Tesla is delightul

[FrankenPC]

This is how I currently feel about Mu Optics:

[sleemanj]

Another update.

Here was I thinking you were just trying for an April Fools... nope, they actually posted that as an update, today, 1st of April.  Talk about asking for it!

[EEVblog]

If the part about hiring another employee is true, then they certainly have some other poor suckers money to keep this whole fiasco afloat.
Once again they claim to be so close to some form of production or pre-production, yet still not a single thermal image, nor any acknowledgement that they will ever release one.
I'm simply stunned at how many times they can regurgitate the same waffle.

[scientist]

MuOptics: because the best engineering work happens while hiring new employees.

[Kryoclasm]

If the part about hiring another employee is true, then they certainly have some other poor suckers money to keep this whole fiasco afloat.
Once again they claim to be so close to some form of production or pre-production, yet still not a single thermal image, nor any acknowledgement that they will ever release one.
I'm simply stunned at how many times they can regurgitate the same waffle.

I bet they are thinking that they need to hire lawyers.

[jadew]

"Ok new guy, so here's the deal: We need you to build us a thermal camera that attaches to a smart phone."

[MacAttak]

They've (and by "they" I mean McGrath) talked about getting additional outside investments before. I'm sure they suckered some poor folks out of a few hundred thousand dollars in the past year since the funding campaign ended a year ago.

[EEVblog]

Another 3 weeks since the last update. I can't believe people were still buying into the last update, as if it showed any sort of progress.
But just as this soap opera looks like it's done it's dash, it always gets briefly reinvigorated with a lot of talk.
As always, I can't wait for the next update!

[CanadianAvenger]

I have a theory.

John or his company needed money to stay afloat, but could not get it through traditional means [or did not desire to]. They then took to the crowd-funding platform with a fictitious product to secure the funds, and the plan was to trickle out the refunds over some duration, in effect paying back the loan.

This is the only scenario that I can come up with that explains the lack of any proof of a product, and the continued but slow updates to prolong the game, and the refunds [which appear to be delayed for some, probably to keep the monthly "payments" at an acceptable level. I have no proof of this, of course, as such it remains just a theory.

[FrankBuss]

I think it is simpler. They started with good intentions, failed at some point and given up, and now providing "updates" to minimize refund requests. They don't answer or refund anyway, see some complaints in the comment section of the project (some of the last comments are a bit surreal), but maybe they want to avoid legal consequences and other trouble, until they found a nice cheap place at a South Seas Island.

[rem256]

Note the way the company spells their name on this sign:

[Legit-Design]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=513759118660573&set=a.354685304567956.44577.354615084574978&type=1&theater
Source for picture above...

Rethink Studios
Lovely day in the West Loop! Come on by for a drink if you're in the area! — at Rethink Studios.

https://www.facebook.com/rethinkstudios

I thought it could be a mistake, maybe they are afraid of angry customers? Plausible deniability... "Ah yes we get that alot our CEO is not the same guy as Mu Optics John McGrath" Rethink studios has John C McGrath.

EDIT:

[Rasz]

I thought it could be a mistake, maybe they are afraid of angry customers? Plausible deniability... "Ah yes we get that alot our CEO is not the same guy as Mu Optics John McGrath" Rethink studios has John C McGrath.

sure
http://www.rethinkstudios.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_0036-e1390950185785.jpg
https://www.indiegogo.com/videos/734981

https://www.indiegogo.com/individuals/2190568
http://www.rethinkstudios.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_0022-e1390950219626.jpg

Same scammers. Looks like 200K was well spend upgrading workspace

[scientist]

They sure look like slimeballs.

[EEVblog]

Note the way the company spells their name on this sign:

Makes sense, as their design is almost entirely new according to them, using a Nu sensor 

[CanadianAvenger]

Note the way the company spells their name on this sign:

Makes sense, as their design is almost entirely new according to them, using a Nu sensor 

Perhaps they ran into troubles with the name "Mu" as Flir most likely owns a trademark on Mu for one of their product lines. If that is the case, they're going to run into troubles with Nu Optics as well, as there is already at least one other company operating under that name in the US.

[MacAttak]

Something tells me that these folks aren't terribly concerned about violating any trademarks.

[EEVblog]

Something tells me that these folks aren't terribly concerned about violating any trademarks.

or showing a real working product, or even a working prototype
I presume that to violate a trademark you have to actually, you know, trade 

[EEVblog]

It seems that Mu's Facebook page has vanished?