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Nano-Drone Swarm Shows Off Slightly Creepy Formation Skills
The Blaze ^ | 2/2/12 | Liz Klimas

Posted on 02/02/2012 10:49:53 AM PST by Nachum

f the soldier-like perfection of the synchronized formation by these mini drones doesn’t freak you out a bit — their collective buzzing sure will.

Orchestrated by the GRASP Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, these 20 “nano quadrotors” developed by KMel Robotics seem to, as Popular Science describes, sense each other’s proximity and work together to maintain formation “like a hive of bees moving en masse.”

Watch the drone swarm in varying formations and with obstacles (Note: Hold out for the figure eight at 1:27):

(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: creepy; formation; nanodrone; swarm
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To: Nachum
12ga birdshot should take care of that little problem.
21 posted on 02/02/2012 11:29:45 AM PST by moovova ("Obama Bulbs" - That's what I call the new CFL light bulbs...because they're not too bright.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

That book was scary.. basically gray goo that can fly and gets smarter in figuring out ways to kill you.

22 posted on 02/02/2012 11:31:13 AM PST by Gideon7
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To: St_Thomas_Aquinas

Check out the videos hyperlinked in the article here; http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/nano-quadrotors-demonstrate-complex-swarm-behavior-2012021/

In the video where two of them build a tower, the “Matthew’s opinion” part is interesting:

“The important technology on display here is the accuracy of the quadrotors and the ability for them to work together. In their current small form the potential for them carrying objects is limited, but there’s nothing to say the quadrotors couldn’t be scaled up and made to carry much larger cargo.

The one limiting factor of the quadrotors is their battery life. But with such accurate movement it shouldn’t be difficult for them to navigate to and land on a charging pad. With teams of quadrotors working together recharges could be handled in such a way that there is always an active group of quadrotors working.”


23 posted on 02/02/2012 11:31:21 AM PST by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Nachum

Imagine you are an enemy of a government that has “killer” versions of these things, you are at your compound and hear a slight whirring sound, look up, and see 10,000 of these little critters converging on you.

Don’t even get me started.


24 posted on 02/02/2012 11:33:30 AM PST by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: outofstyle

Yep... loved that book!


25 posted on 02/02/2012 11:34:13 AM PST by myrabach
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To: cuban leaf

What if you take out one? Does it screw up the works?


26 posted on 02/02/2012 11:37:32 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: cuban leaf

Or- how about a more silent version on one that will target one individual? Like that assassin drone in Dune?


27 posted on 02/02/2012 11:42:03 AM PST by Nachum (The complete Obama list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Nachum

Vulnerable to tennis rackets.


28 posted on 02/02/2012 11:42:14 AM PST by lurk
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To: Gideon7

I’ve read just about everything Crichton wrote and Prey was the only book that creeped me out.


29 posted on 02/02/2012 11:48:39 AM PST by Jeff Chandler (Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati)
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To: RightOnTheBorder

They already have their abortion clinics and death panels for the useless eaters. No need for nano bots.


30 posted on 02/02/2012 11:52:46 AM PST by RC one (the majority of republicans agree, anyone but Romney.)
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To: Jeff Chandler
I’ve read just about everything Crichton wrote and Prey was the only book that creeped me out.

Intriguing. I love Crichton's work. I will have to pick up Prey.

31 posted on 02/02/2012 12:07:43 PM PST by sand88 (Hey Rove et al, I will, with great pleasure, NOT cast a vote for the Statist Mitt.)
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To: cuban leaf

Amazing.


32 posted on 02/02/2012 12:07:43 PM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas
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To: Nachum

I don’t know - all I could think while watching all those mindless, buzzing objects all operating in concert under the direction of some hidden operator was: Obama voters.


33 posted on 02/02/2012 12:27:23 PM PST by Stosh
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To: Nachum
Cool, but I wonder what type of government we will have when this is available. Will it be used to combat our enemies, or enforce State Control of the people?


34 posted on 02/02/2012 12:27:46 PM PST by Clock King (Ellisworth Toohey was right: My head's gonna explode.)
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To: cuban leaf
IOW, they are not acting on their own. Rather, a single “brain” in the main computer is controlling all of them

What you say may be true regarding this demonstration but off-the-shelf R/C gear can be programmed to do all of this except maybe for the close formation flying (and that isn't far away -- just a matter of further miniaturization of electronics and sensors). What will be more impressive (and creepy) will be autonomous decision-making and goal-seeking. Rumors military RPVs can do this now.

35 posted on 02/02/2012 12:41:57 PM PST by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture (Could be worst in 40 years))
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To: Nachum

So imagine - just for a sec - that ETs and UFOs actually exist.

Think they’ve explored the use of nano drones?

With antigrav drives and cloaking?

The size and shape of a gnat?

Have you ever CHECKED a gnat?

Thought not.

hehehe...


36 posted on 02/02/2012 1:28:07 PM PST by Talisker (Apology accepted, Captain Needa.)
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To: steve86

—and that isn’t far away — just a matter of further miniaturization of electronics and sensors—

That right there is the exciting - and scary - part


37 posted on 02/02/2012 1:32:06 PM PST by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Nachum; Travis McGee
Firearms will be obsolete within 15-20 years.

Matt. Take a look at this. Anyone who fights with a rifle (or handgun) in 20 years time, is fighting the last war.

38 posted on 02/02/2012 1:42:21 PM PST by Lazamataz (Norm Lenhart knows nothing about reloading.)
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To: moovova
12ga birdshot should take care of that little problem.

That will take out a few. And so will the next shell. And the next. And all the shells out to a maximum of, say, 30, for a Saiga.

NOW WHAT?

Now that you have taken out about 90 of them, let's say, what about the other 910 of them still descending towards you?

39 posted on 02/02/2012 1:44:58 PM PST by Lazamataz (Norm Lenhart knows nothing about reloading.)
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To: cuban leaf; CodeToad; Myrddin; Lazamataz; hollywood; Squantos; hiredhand; Eaker; archy

Very interesting point. Thanks.


40 posted on 02/02/2012 2:00:20 PM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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