Richard Haberkern

Richard Michael Haberkern (born September 9, 1967) is an American inventor and cinematographer.
Filmmaking career
Haberkern trained under Steve Sabol as a documentary filmmaker while working for NFL Films in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. His first documentary (where he wrote and did the cinematography) appeared on the show NFL Films Presents in 1997, highlighting Mike Utley, a former NFL player who was paralyzed and used scuba diving to aid in his physical therapy. His later work included the original screenplay and treatment for the Emmy Award-nominated Veterans Day story of Bob Kalsu, the only NFL player to be killed in action during the Vietnam War. He is also listed with an engineering credit on the production of the 1996 documentary NFL Head Coach: The Man Behind the Men.
Inventions
Habbycam
Founded in 2000, Habbycam is a line of digital video equipment, primarily supports and braces, designed to improve the quality of video produced by hobbyists. Invented and developed by Haberkern, the designs are based on supports originally developed while he worked for NFL films.
Trackstick
Haberkern is the inventor of the Trackstick, a GPS recording device that uses GPS technology to track and record the movements of vehicles or people. The information is not broadcast, but can be uploaded to a computer after the device is retrieved. According to statements by Haberkern, the devices have been used by the FBI, CIA and Homeland Security. They have also been used by the U.S. Postal Service, to track the efficiency of long-haul shipping routes. The devices were also used for escape route planning in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Utilizing technology first explored in the '60s and described by Woody Norris at the TED Talks in 2004, parametric speakers organize sound into a highly directional audio beam. With ultrasonic carrier waves for transmission, the concept is similar to a laser beam for audio rather than light. When plugged into a music player or computer, the Soundlazer employs 39 separate high frequency ultrasonic beams, emitting a very focused audio stream that can only be heard by those within a 2-foot diameter from a range of 20 to 30 feet. Moving the speaker or stepping out of the stream causes the audio output to drop off immediately. Funding for the project was launched on Kickstarter on March 20, 2012 with a funding goal of $48,000, ultimately raising $126,473 by the time of the project's close on May 19, 2012.
Lumapad
The Lumapad is an open-source, consumer-grade, WiFi-enabled LED lamp. With a light source that can hit up to 8,000 lumens, it can be controlled from the unit itself or programmed using USB or WiFi, with applications for DJ events, video or still photo shoots, and onstage events. The Lumapad also has a small power draw of 88 watts, allowing it to run on battery power. Funding for the project was launched on Kickstarter on February 7, 2013 with a funding goal of $28,000, ultimately raising $94,483 by the time of the projects close on April 8, 2013.
Awards
Haberkern was one of nine winners in the Freelance/International Wildlife category of the 54th Annual Pictures of the Year (POYi) awards for his photo, "Living Rainbow".

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