Photography buffs will enjoy this latest development in camera technology. Instead of taking pictures by holding the camera steady, you can now take pictures by throwing the camera up in the air. The idea may sound foolish by for computer engineer Jonas Pfeil throwing a camera in the air is the best way to capture stunning panoramic pictures.

The Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera is a foam-padded ball with 36 fixed-focus, 2 megapixel mobile phone camera modules that are capable of taking 360-degree panoramic shots. You throw the camera in the air and accelerometers in the camera will trigger the cameras to take pictures when it reaches the apex. The pictures are then stitched together and uploaded via USB where they are presented in a spherical panoramic viewer. Users can interactively explore their photos with the viewer including a zoom function.

Pfeil who thought of the idea for the ball camera after visiting the island of Tonga and being frustrated at creating panoramas of the pictures he took in the island. Pfeil along with his group then started developing a working model of the Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera that you can hurl or toss in the air.

"We used the camera to capture full spherical panoramas at scenic spots, in a crowded city square and in the middle of a group of people taking turns in throwing the camera. For me the most interesting and unexpected result was that group pictures came out so cool. I think it's because people are facing each other and are therefore more engaged. Normally people all stare into a camera and don't see each other," writes Pfeil in his website.

The results shown in the video are really pretty impressive but there are still some kinks that need to be worked out. The photographer will need steady hands when he or she throws the Panoramic Ball Camera in the air because any spin can distort the image. And despite the foam protection, you really wouldn't want to drop this ball.

The Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera is not yet available for sale although its creators have a patent pending.