It is not the world's first gigapixel camera, but it is the smallest and fastest and opens up prospects for improving airport security, military surveillance and even online sports coverage, its developers say.

Today's cameras capture images measured in megapixels - a million pixels - normally between eight and 40 for an average consumer device. A thousand megapixels make a gigapixel, which is thus comprised of a billion pixels.

Dubbed AWARE-2, the device is housed in a box of 75 x 50 x 50 cm - most of which comprises electronic processing and communication equipment. The optical system consists of a six-centimetre ball-shaped lens surrounded by an array of 98 micro-cameras each with a 14-megapixel sensor. The optical system on its own weighs about 10 kg, but with the case about 45 kg.