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As camcorders get smaller and lighter, users find them harder to hold steady.
So many have stabilisation circuitry that tries to sense any unwanted movement
and compensate by moving the image in the opposite direction. Hitachi has now
developed a new way to detect the shaking (WO 98/41818). Instead of the
conventional miniature gyroscope with a spinning wheel, the device consists of a
vibrating arm moved by a small crystal transducer. Any movement of the camera
puts a strain on the arm, generating a signal that the image stabiliser can use
to keep pictures rock steady on the screen.