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Laser-toting MAV can find its way in tight spaces, might eventually hunt you down (video) May 17th 2012, 10:54 A perpetual weakness of MAVs (micro air vehicles) is their frequent need for hand-holding in anything other than a wide-open or very controlled space. If they're not using GPS or motion sensors to find their locations, they can't turn on a dime the way a human pilot would. Adam Bry, Abraham Bachrash and Nicholas Roy from MIT's CSAIL group haven't overcome every problem just yet, but they may have taken combat drones and other pilotless aircraft a big step forward by giving them the tools needed to fly quickly when positioning isn't an option. Uniting a laser rangefinder with an existing 3D map of the environment -- still 'cheating,' but less dependent -- lets the prototype flyer find the distance to nearby obstacles and steer clear even at speeds that would scare any mere mortal MAV. Ideally, future designs that can create their own maps will be completely independent of humans, making us think that MIT's references to "aggressive" autonomous flight are really cues to start hiding under the bed. Continue reading Laser-toting MAV can find its way in tight spaces, might eventually hunt you down (video) Laser-toting MAV can find its way in tight spaces, might eventually hunt you down (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 06:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink IEEE Spectrum  |  CSAIL  | Email this | Comments Chiba University's one-armed robot juggles balls, is not a Juggalo (video) May 17th 2012, 10:27 Two balls, one hand? In this case, that's a definite yes, although the end result is much more appropriate for all ages. Furthering our slow creep towards engineering's Uncanny Valley, comes a cybernetic effort out of Japan's Chiba University that's made to mock our most precious clown-past time: juggling. The one-armed, three-fingered robot, shown off at the 2012 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, utilizes a high-speed camera to track a ball's flight at 500fps and help coordinate its repetitive movements with eerie precision. The current setup's not without hitches, though, considering the bot's fixed shoulder joint can only carry out successful catches on a 2D plane before, quite literally, dropping the ball. Refinements are apparently on the way to expand the cyborg limb's range of motion which, of course, will only serve to defeat us in the end. Robot apocalypse, we're looking at you. Continue reading Chiba University's one-armed robot juggles balls, is not a Juggalo (video) Chiba University's one-armed robot juggles balls, is not a Juggalo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 06:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  IEEE Spectrum  | Email this | Comments Steam remote downloads exit beta, make impatience an option for everyone May 17th 2012, 09:47 That was quick. Just two weeks after Valve posted a new Steam beta that allows remote game downloads, it now has a truly polished release for everyone. Both Mac and Windows gamers can now queue up demos and full games, whether it's from a browser at work or from the Steam mobile app. Appropriately, Valve will let you reinstall games as well as start downloading a purchase as soon as the credit card clears. Either way, it'll guaranteed that your new copy of Bastion or that attempt to relive your Quake nostalgia will be ready when you get home. Steam remote downloads exit beta, make impatience an option for everyone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 05:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq  |  Steam  | Email this | Comments Visualized: Arduino gets super-sized ahead of Maker Faire May 17th 2012, 09:25 This is Make's John Edgar Park, manfully clutching his Arduino Grande. The oversized device isn't just for show though, it's a fully working unit for those projects where a standard sized PCB just won't do. He'll be taking excited modders though the process of building it at Maker Faire on Saturday, just head over to the demo stage at 5:30pm with your pre-written Super Size Me jokes close to hand. Visualized: Arduino gets super-sized ahead of Maker Faire originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 05:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Adafruit  |  John Edgar Park (Flickr)  | Email this | Comments

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