January 1998
Entrepreneur Illustrated

Design team invents systems for viewing elusive wildlife

MANTECA, California   Equipped with flashlight and mirrors, wildlife biologist Doug Wood used to
climb trees to peer into the nests of endangered woodpeckers, a time-consuming and often dangerous
undertaking.

But that was before he learned about the near-infrared video system invented by Christensen Designs.
With the help of its pole-mounted, micro-miniature video camera, the TreeTop Peeper II provides a
peek into obscure nests with less disturbance to the occupants. And at 16 pounds, the user-friendly
system requires fewer people to do the job.

"It's improved our efficiency immensely," said Wood, who is a researcher in the Department of
Wildlife and Fisheries at Mississippi State University. "Some of the nests we're looking at are 15 feet
to 70 feet off the ground. The TreeTop Peeper gives us much more accuracy than using a small
penlight and mirrors," he said. Researchers note that they now can check 12 nests per hour, instead of
five or six per day. 

John and Ann Christensen founded Christensen Designs in 1989. At $3,950, the TreeTop Peeper is
one of several wildlife research tools the couple has developed.  Mounted atop a 50-foot telescoping
pole, the postage-stamp sized camera encased in Delrin housing can be inserted into openings as small
as 1.2 inches.

John Christensen also markets three burrow video probes of varying diameters and lengths. His first
video probe, the Miniature Optical Lair Explorer (MOLE), was highlighted in National Geographic
Magazine and featured on CNN. This system has evolved into Theseus-TED, a 15-meter (50-foot)
tethered robotic.

"It's our love for the environment that drives us," said John Christensen, who for 15 years was a senior
engineering associate at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. "We enjoy supporting the wildlife
biologists because they are often the only advocates for endangered critters," he said.

"Our target is the environmental research market," added Ann Christensen, who has a background in
marketing and graphics design. "We try to find out precisely what the client wants. Using John"s
expertise in electro-mechanical and optical engineering, we then design what they're looking for.

"Biologists use video systems to survey wildlife populations, observe behaviors, and document
predation. "One advantage of our technology is that events can be videotaped," explained Ann
Christensen. "This helps to prove certain events actually took place, an important part of meeting
research requirements. Another key factor is that sometimes subtle movement within a darkened den is
easier to capture on videotape. There ¡s no rewind button in the human eye and memories can be
faulty."

The company's inventions have allowed researchers to view things they've never seen before, noted
Ann Christensen.  "Our technology allows them inside the secrets of the nest.  Christensen Designs
cameras are noteworthy for being lightweight and easy to use, while other systems are often four to
five times as heavy." 

Many universities, the U.S. Forest Service and other government agencies have used products
developed by Christensen Designs. Industrial and law enforcement sources have also have expressed
strong interest in Peeper Video Systems, adds John Christensen. "Our systems provide a safe, efficient
way to view remote locations, whether by SWAT teams to survey rooftops, or wildlife biologists
wishing to study woodpeckers, bats, and other elusive critters."

Contact:  Ann Christensen or John Christensen
Title:         Owners
Company:  Christensen Designs
Address:  349 Scenic Place
          Manteca, CA 95337
Phone:         (209) 239-8090
Fax:           (209) 239-5414
Internet: www.PeeperPeople.com
e-mail:   Ann@PeeperPeople.com

Wildlife biologists and tactical teams have greater access to remote locations with design team's video
tools, including
a lightweight pole-mounted camera and a robotic probe designed for deep, winding burrows and
tunnels.

Written by Danielle Starkey
Entrepreneur Illustrated 1998