Drone Quadcopters Show Off Musical Talent Playing James Bond Theme
- Posted on March 2, 2012 at 4:40pm by
Liz Klimas
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Love going to the orchestra for movie theme song night? Here’s a high-tech, aerial version using nine pre-programmed “quadrotors.”
(Related: Nano-drone swarm shows off slightly creepy formation skills)
Developed by researchers in the GRASP lab the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, the robot quadrotors made their musical debut at the TED2012 Conference in Long Beach, Calif., on Feb. 29. Watch the robotic orchestra play James Bond’s theme song, which already has more than 847,000 YouTube hits:
As you can see, the robots play various instruments including a keyboard, drums, maracas and a cymbal. The doctoral students who created the quadrotors, Alex Kushleyev and Daniel Mellinger, describe how they even made an “adapted guitar built from a couch frame” that the quadrotors played by hitting the strings as they flew over with a stiff wire. The quadrotors’ performance was autonomous with each robot being programmed with its role beforehand.
Quadrotors playing the keyboard with the "couch guitar" in the foreground.
"Couch guitar", a cymbal and keyboard are all played by quadrotors.
Quadrotor playing the "couch guitar".
MSNBC reports that Vijay Kumar, the UPenn advisor for Kushleyev and Mellinger, also presented a new robot at the conference. This one uses a camera and laser scanner to map its surroundings, according to MSNBC, which is unlike the quadroters that only use a camera. The quadroters also need a camera to know where they are, whereas this new robot doesn’t. Kumar said that the use for such technology could be to create a map of a building or area outside of the lab setting without things like GPS. Learn more about that robot starting at 11:57 in this video at the conference:
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Comments (59)
thejackal
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 12:16pmThe amount of code it required to program all these and the time it took to do it is really appalling. Firstly, the mini-coptors are a German hobby-craft, it’s not like the students built them. So basically it was just a video game to them. If this is the best our educational systems can come up with then we are screwed. The Chinese are going to the moon in a few years, and our space program has been instructed by the Obama regieme to focus on relations with the islamic world. America is SO SCREWED!
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 1:06pmI hardly think that this is the best that they can come up with. I think that it is just the beginning.
I am amazed by it. It makes me pleased I lived this long.
Report Post »judymac10
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 2:51pmControlled by man or computer drones can be made this small and
Report Post »undetected by humans the future is here to spy undetected.
Oh look a bird, no man, that is a drone.
elihu
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:37amPut to proper use, the products of these brilliant minds could be assimilated into the war effort…
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 12:18pmKiller bees.
Report Post »isobamamadd
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 3:38pmyeah and after they are Totally Autonomous they can be used on you by those who gave you the NDAA and the Patriot Act. Just a Game Now, but look at those Drones, Snuffing People from thousands of miles away. Careful what you like and what you wish for!!!!!!
Report Post »Inlandmar2
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 12:05pmCould be more fun than shooting skeet!
Report Post »neocon1
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:22amWOW amazing
Report Post »marjorie faye
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 10:18amAh, perhaps these are the locusts of Revelation chapter 9.
Report Post »80mesh
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 8:18amscale them up to carry people .., could use a chevy volt battery ………. uh nevermind
Report Post »Mike Benton
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 8:07amThis is great! The next thing you know these little things will be saving lives by flying in to damaged buildings looking for survivors.
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 12:24pmOr to vote
Report Post »GENE BLISTER
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 10:54amExcellent point, Mike. Like cars or backhoes or firearms, they’re just mechanisms- tools that multiply human power and ability and accomplish desired outcomes. The intent of the user determines whether the tool is “good” or “evil.”
Fortunately we have a Constitution specifically designed to chain our government from misusing its powers and resources against citiz…er….wait. No…Ahem. Never mind.
Report Post »RedDawn2012
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 4:36amIf these were created in America by university students, why is it that the only place on earth that sells them is a hobby shop in Germany? First a little description in English: http://www.asctec.de/?locale=en_US
And now the price: 899 Euros ($1,209) – see here: http://www.x3d-shop.de/shop/catalog/details?shop_param=aid%3D17188182%26
Report Post »Freeasia
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 1:18amOh sure they are all cute and cuddly now playing the ‘James Bond Theme.‘ Next comes the ’Theme to Terminator’, then Skynet, and finally they are travelling back through time to kill Sarah Connor.
Report Post »Just4Rocks
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 3:00amYes;Cute now—later…with little itty bitty cameras on board–still cute??
Report Post »Just4Rocks
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 3:02amOf course—if it saves just one life then it is worth it!
Report Post »sixtysix
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:08amMy favorite comment.
Report Post »McNamara
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 11:38pmMe, the drones, my 12GA…..good times. ;)
Report Post »Mary Just
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 11:20pmAny thinking person knows what the future holds when you have an ultra corrupt government and machines like this. Be afraid be very afraid.
Report Post »RedDawn2012
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 4:23amYou’re right, Mary, but ain’t they just the coolest things? Amazing.
Report Post »snrub
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 9:24pmWell as long as their tuition money isn’t being wasted.
Report Post »freelancer91
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 8:50pmNext they need to have these things recreate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel……
Report Post »kindling
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 8:22pmThat was cute….this is amazing!
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmREjs6NYVY
freelancer91
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 8:55pm@Kindling Neat, but that was a computer generated animation. The quadcopter video was real…
Report Post »kindling
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 9:45pmThis incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa. Amazingly, 97% of the machine’s components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa . Yes, farm equipment! It took the team a combined 13,029 hours (6.26 years) of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video but as you can see, it was WELL worth the effort. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.
Report Post »KentuckyVet
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 10:16pm@KINDLING
I will 1 up you with a real one built off the idea of the animated one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCIkbr9HCcw&feature=related
kindling
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 11:13pmWow, it is a fake! I checked but didn’t search far enough. How sad. There you go….question with boldness.
Report Post »kindling
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 11:28pmthat Intel machine is better than the project this story is about anyway even if the one that fooled me is a fake.
Report Post »grannyrecipe
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 6:18amThe real machine is made by SISU out of Austin, TX for Intel.
Better video:
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLdB0WEixjM&feature=player_embedded
kindling
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 2:48pmThe first time I saw the ball video I thought it was computer generated but then I read the message that was sent to me with it saying it was made by students. I believed it because of who sent it to me. I trusted that the sender did the research. But when I did my own research because of what Freelancer91 said I learned it was fake. I told the sender and they were so upset. They also believed the person that sent it to them. This is such a great lesson for me. I liked the clip before I learned the truth because it gave me hope in what people can do. But now I see how subtly people can deceive which is a better lesson in MHO.
Report Post »Col. HawK
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 7:30pmThat is brilliant…. Thanks.
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 7:24pmbored
Report Post »TRILO
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 6:46pmGreat, so they will be able to play a cool tune as they are spying on American citizens. I feel so much better. They should be playing the theme music to “Jaws” instead.
Report Post »God_is_in_the_details
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 6:41pmThat was awfully robotic … once more, WITH FEELING!
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:56pmyup, and something like that over our 100% AMERICAN home place has a different name. ”TARGET”.
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 9:49pmCould be easily mistaken for a skeet pigeon!
Report Post »AmericanStrega
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:31pmNeat.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:52pmYou see? There “IS” a legitimate use for these after all.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:28pmGlad to see the tax dollars we sent to this University are being used on something worthless. Oh wait….they will be using them to spy on my and enforce the NDAA soon…my bad.
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 9:52pmNow you are starting to see the payback on it!!!
Report Post »Barbarian
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:25pmWhat would the couch-guitar look like if they wanted to play “Eruption?”
Report Post »Tinfoilhat
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:21pmWhy do I get the creepy feeling that our government will use this for checking out enemy’s of the state? Or is it just that my hat is too tight?
Report Post »drago
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:00pmBetter hope i dont see one flying over my head at home,it will be down and in the pot, before you can say copter soup;p
Report Post »Knightrider1
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 3:28am@Drago…. how long do you have to boil these things til they’re tender enough to eat??
Report Post »sixtysix
Posted on March 3, 2012 at 11:09amYep, just as Grannie Clampet made golf egg soup.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 4:52pmTerrific!! Monty Norman would be proud.
Report Post »db321
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:22pmThis could definably win America’s Got Talent!
Report Post »The_Postal
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 4:48pmSooo… who’s up for Skynet?
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 4:53pmHey Vijay! Shoot me a price on a gross of them things!
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