Behold, the Frankencamera. It lets developers, hobbyists and experimenters play with camera components and algorithms to create new things:

From the video’s description:

Although there has been much interest in computational photography within the research and photography communities, progress has been hampered by the lack of a portable, programmable camera with sufficient image quality and computing power. To address this problem, they designed and implemented an open architecture and API for such cameras: the Frankencamera. Using these implementations they demonstrate six computational photography applications: HDR viewfinding and capture, low-light viewfinding and capture, automated acquisition of extended dynamic range panoramas, foveal imaging, IMU-based hand shake detection, and rephotography.

They demonstrate HDR photos in the camera, which would definitely be useful. The foveal imaging is also a cool idea.

More info:
- The Frankencamera: An Experimental Platform for Computational Photography
- Digital Photography Basics