Well actually there are a few different types but nothing like what you are talking about. I am pretty sure this one uses 6 different cameras that each get 95 degrees. The overlap is used when it gets stitched together. There is also another type that uses a conical lense. It records a 360 horizontal image and then captures everything 45 degrees up and down to get 90 vertical degrees. There is another type that just uses two back to back fish eyes.