There's an ape for that! Nasa engineer's intimate snaps of primates... using a cheap mirror, drill, sticky tape and an iPhone

By HANNAH ROBERTS

Looking right at you: Rocket scientist Mark Rober came up with a novel way to spark the monkeys' interest

Ever wondered what a rocket scientist does in his spare time?
When he's not helping to build the latest Mars Rover, Nasa engineer Mark Rober does regular stuff like taking his son to see the monkeys at the zoo.
But while most of us just wave and gaze at the apathetic apes in their man-made enclosure, smarty pants Rober came up with a novel way to spark the monkeys' interest- a camera that showed them their own reflection.

Mirror image: He attracts the attention of a mother orangutan at the zoo. After getting a good look at her reflection the primate fetches her baby

The mechanical engineer used only a cheap mirror, a drill, some sticky tape and an iPhone, a how-to video he posted on Youtube explains for the less brainy.
And once the home made gorilla cam, which cost him just 8 dollars worth of iPhone moderations to put together, was up and running, the curious apes couldn't resist getting up close to get a good look at themselves.
The space whizkid was then able to shoot this remarkable video, offering a uniquely intimate look at animals at the Los Angeles Zoo.

Intimate: It's hard to believe the incredible footage was shot on an ordinary camera phone

Windows to the soul: The curious apes couldn't resist getting up close to get a good look at themselves


Transfixed: This remarkable video, offers a uniquely intimate look at animals at the Los Angeles Zoo

Last look: It is interesting to see how close the primates want to get

Rober bought a $3 mirror and drilled a hole in the middle of the reflective surface. Then he put his iPhone camera up to the hole and filmed through the hole, Wired reported.
In the video he first attracts the attention of a mother orangutan at the zoo. After getting a good look at her reflection the primate fetches her baby . And finally the daddy ape comes over to inspect his face.

Monkeying around: This cute creature is one of the first to spot the mirror- and its own reflection

'I wonder what they are thinking,' Rober said. 'It was also interesting to see how close the primates wanted to get. For the four-month-old baby, it’s possibly the first time she’s ever seen herself.'
The ingenious scientist is becoming well known for his how-to videos, explaining simple inventions. The most viewed is the Halloween costume that lets your stomach look hollow, by using two ipads strapped to your body.

Powerful: Rober put his iPhone camera up to a hole in the mirror and filmed through the hole

Idea: Rober originally showed the monkeys and apes their reflections on his camera-phone

Smarty pants: Rober is a mechanical engineer at NASA



source: dailymail