Soon Everything will be Brain-Controlled
Quadcopters have really taken off in recent years and have a wide variety of applications no longer merely confined to military and police tactics, but also entertainment and practical applications.
Quadcopters have taken over from other kinds of flying toys and robots because their four-rotor structure makes them stable and able to fly in every possible direction. Their unique structure also enables them to perform flips and other tricks, making them popular toys not just among children, but experienced RC enthusiasts and grown men from all walks of life.
Quadcopters are increasingly being used as camera-mounts as they can go places where regular cameras can’t. They can be used to capture unique shots at sporting events, or can document natural disasters from close range.
These versatile flying machines vary wildly in size; some can fit on the palm of your hand while others are much bigger. Quadcopters also vary in their control mechanisms; some require remote-controlled assistance while others are fully autonomous and can travel pre-programmed routes.
Now they are even beginning to wire the brain to control not only drones, but everything electronically controlled. Its like something from a bad sci-fi, but its here and now.
Watch these experiments performed with a team of nano quadrotors at the GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania.
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Not long ago I published an article about insect sized drones, which although generally well received, also drew it’s share of criticism. For all those critics, here is yet another example of where this is heading. And though the Quadcopters featured in this article are a little bigger than mosquitoes, these are not military grade vehicles either. If they don’t have insect sized drones yet, I guarantee you they will soon.
By Tom Retterbush
Also watch, “Amazing in Motion – SWARM“, a short 1 minute video featuring a swarm of miniature quadcopters (which already has received a lot of attention, with over 3 million views on YouTube alone), here.
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