MIT robot plane deletes the pilot

[ScienceRocks]

MIT robot plane deletes the pilot


Chris Davies, Aug 11th 2012 Discuss [1]

When the robots come for you, at least they won’t scratch the walls. MIT research into autonomous flight has delivered a robotic plane that can thread its way, at speed, through enclosed and indoor conditions, without requiring preconfigured flight plans or GPS navigation. The plane has significantly longer flight time than autonomous helicopters, though introduced a fair few problems of its own.


Unlike helicopters, which can hover, rotate on the spot, easily travel in three-dimensions and go sideways, planes must keep moving and have reduced flexibility in where they can redirect themselves. MIT’s solution was a custom-designed aircraft with shorter, chunkier wings that combine tight turning, the possibility of relatively low speeds without stalling, and reasonable cargo capabilities for the AI smarts and camera equipment.

Inside, along with the cameras which allow for the bird’s-eye view in the video below, the plane has a laser rangefinder, accelerometers and gyroscopes to track whereabouts in the room it is, what speed it’s traveling, acceleration, and more. At any one moment in time, the plane is figuring out 15 different values, MIT says, and part of what makes the new system special is a duo of algorithms – one fast and rough, the other slow and accurate – to first filter out the most relevant data and then crunch only that.

It’s not all magic, at least not yet. The plane must be preloaded with a high-res digital map of the area, unlike helicopters which are capable of building their own maps. That’s next on the MIT team’s agenda, however, boosting the algorithms and building in more visual information to the other sensors.

Of course, an alternative approach might be pairing the best of helicopters and planes, using both in sequence. An autonomous helicopter could enter an unknown area and quickly gather reconnaissance data of the environment, taking advantage of the flexibility of movement to be more comprehensive, and then be followed by an autonomous plane using that fresh data but bringing greater flight time to the table.

MIT robot plane deletes the pilot - SlashGear

 

[Douger]

Another step backward for mankind !

 

[idb]

More lost jobs.
Thanks Obama!!!!

 

[there4eyeM]

Manned fighters are ridiculous; much heavier than necessary, much too expensive, inherently risk lives.
Remote control may seem less heroic, but what is heroic about sitting up in the sky massacring those below?
"They all look like targets to me!"

 

[editec]

Oh yeah, the MASTERS will be slowly but surely eliminating most of the human beings currently working in the military and in the police state, too.


Robot MEANS servant in Czech, ya know?

Technology will be replacing the MASTERS need for human servants over the rest of most of our miserable lifetimes.

Robot surviellence is only the first step in a long march to the POLICE STATE the masters truly want the world to become.