Insect-Like Robot Gimball Inspects Disaster Zones

A new rescue robot has been revealed by its’ designers. Named Gimball, this insect-like flying robot can collide and bounce off objects and then right itself, making it perfect for dealing with situations that would be hazardous to humans.

Gimball was designed and built by a team in Switzerland at the Ecole Polytechnique Federerale de Lausanne (EPFL). The aim is to use the robot in disaster situations such as entering burning buildings or areas affected by radiation leaks.

This flying robot moves in a way similar to a mosquito. It has a protective spherical roll-cage and is mounted on to pivots allowing it to stay upright. It is designed to survive crashes and can bounce off walls or trees.

Adrien Briod, Gimball’s co-creator explains the inspiration behind this flying robot: “Usually robots need to move around obstacles, so we thought it would be interesting to allow it to sustain collisions,” he said.

Normally a robot that encounters a collision would then be out of action but designers of Gimball decided that by allowing the robot to collide and bounce of objects, it would solve the problem of out-of-action robots.

The team wanted the robot to be able to deal with the most difficult of terrain. “Our objective was exactly that – to be able to operate where other robots can’t go, such as a building that has collapsed in an earthquake. The on-board camera can provide valuable information to emergency personnel,” Briod said.

Staying Upright

A gyroscopic system means Gimball can stay upright at all times. The system, which includes an accelerometer, is the same type of sensor that smartphones use to determine which way is up.

It is steered by fins and has two propellers, which are battery-driven. The robot is fitted with a motion sensor, camera, altimeter, magnetic compass and micro-controller processor.

At the moment Gimball can be remotely controlled but Adrien Briod wants to incorporate artificial intelligence capabilities so that it can complete tasks on its own.

[Image via Gigaom]

SOURCE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24758935

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Drone Controller Controls Almost Any Game

The video gaming world just keeps on getting better and better, especially when it comes to mobile gaming. Years ago, gamers had to have a console hooked up to their television set at home or they had to go to an arcade to play the latest games. Now, thanks to the invention of tablets and smartphones, gamers can bring the arcade with them wherever they go. However, one issue seems to stick with mobile gamers – the controller. With touchscreens so sensitive (don’t get me wrong, that’s actually a good thing) sometimes it’s just really hard to play certain games. Just think about how many extra points you could’ve had in Temple Run 2 if your finger hadn’t accidentally made you topple to your death! Or, how many stars could you have earned in Angry Birds Star Wars if that last-second finger twitch hadn’t sent your bird careening off in the wrong direction?

Help Is On The Way

Many mobile gamers have probably asked this question at one time or another: “Why does my finger have to control all of my games?” The good news is that an answer is on the way in the form of the Drone controller. The Drone controller, a product of Evolution Controllers, takes gaming to a whole new level with its ability to play games across multiple gaming platforms, including but not limited to: smartphones, tablets, PC’s, Kindle Fires, and Chromebooks. This would be a welcome change since controllers can get pretty expensive, especially when you have to buy more than one for each system. For those gamers who are also lovers of many colors, the Drone controller will be available in 7 different colors, including red, white, and blue. It will also come equipped with a rechargeable battery. As far as the cost goes, it will cost approximately the same as a normal console controller.

According to the Drone’s website, the controller will have “…dual analog sticks, Dpad, 2 bumpers, 2 triggers, Start, Select + A,B,X,Y buttons.” Indeed it sounds like this controller might resemble major console controllers such as the ones used with the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. This would certainly be a welcome change for anyone who has cursed their finger after it cost them the game.

While drones in the news as of late have been the source of anything but good news, this Drone might just be the start of something great for mobile gamers everywhere. Have a look for yourself at the Drone’s promo video, courtesy of their Kickstarter page.

[Image via Evolutioncontrollers]

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