Pilot a Plane with a PDA?

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Posted by michael on Saturday September 13, 2003 @05:49AM from the hot-sync dept.

An anonymous reader writes "This whitepaper describes how engineers at IBM's Pervasive Computing Advanced Technology Laboratory created a Linux-based, intelligent, remote control system for a model airplane as a way to showcase gateway server technology. The onboard computer controls various navigational equipment and interfaces to a wireless access point and PDA. The user can control the plane through handheld wireless technology. A 3-dimensional virtual flight environment tracks the plane's flight and provides a gps-based autopilot function. The environment is based on LandSAT maps and gives the user a virtual view of the flight from the cockpit of the plane, which can be augmented by real-time updates from an onboard camera. The article briefly introduces "gateway server" concepts, describes the embedded hardware and software architecture, explains how the IBM developers implemented the control systems, and includes lots of cool photos."

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Add the tilt sensor to this... by ChrisGoodwin · 2003-09-13 05:53 · Score: 3, Funny

...and fly it by waving your PDA around in the air, incidentally looking like a dumbass in the process.

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Pretend there is some witty statement here.
1. Re:Add the tilt sensor to this... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-13 06:07 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  ...and fly it by waving your PDA around in the air, incidentally looking like a dumbass in the process.
  Don't worry, Chris, if you're already at "-1, Geek Loser" you can't get modded any lower. Wave away!
PULL UP PULL UP! by stefanlasiewski · 2003-09-13 05:54 · Score: 4, Funny

Whoa! Sorry about that, I wrote "PULL UP! PULLL UP!" but the PDA kept passing it to the plane as "Bull QD1" "Bull QD1"

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"Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
Well, duh by YeOldeGnurd · 2003-09-13 05:55 · Score: 5, Funny

They've always been called "Palm Pilots", haven't they? What else would you use one for?

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...Nothing interesting here. Just move along...
Troubling. by FreeLinux · 2003-09-13 05:56 · Score: 1, Funny

This screenshot seems a bit troubling. Whats with the concentric circles on the display? Is this some form of targeting system?

Somebody set us up the bomb?
Mac OS X has this already by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-13 06:01 · Score: 1, Funny

Mac OS X has this capability already.
New Yorker Cartoon by skreuzer · 2003-09-13 06:04 · Score: 5, Funny

Maybe they have been getting their ideas from The New Yorker Magazine
Exccccellent... by EvilBit · 2003-09-13 06:09 · Score: 5, Funny

Now all we need is a "model" bomb to go with the model airplane and wire it through a cell phone instead of Wi-Fi for greater ranger.

Whats the address of RIAA headquarters again?

"Can you hear me NOW !?! HUH?! HUH?! HUH?!"
Now if they ever use this on real planes ... by tessaiga · 2003-09-13 06:22 · Score: 3, Funny

there'd actually be a reason for them to make you turn your laptops off on takeoff.

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The bold print giveth, and the fine print taketh away ...
I wish I got paid to... by SixDimensionalArray · 2003-09-13 06:24 · Score: 3, Funny

...build remote controlled airplanes for one of the biggest companies in the U.S.!
catch-22 by kurosawdust · 2003-09-13 06:36 · Score: 4, Funny

but what does the pilot do during take-off when all electronic devices have to be shut off?
Mastubation by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-13 07:15 · Score: 1, Funny

When most Slashdotters think about "palm pilots", their not thinking about PDAs...
New Hardware detected... by Cynops · 2003-09-13 07:16 · Score: 3, Funny

Reminds me of this cartoon from the German computer magazine c't
Translation: New device found. Device: Airbus A310. Do you want to start auto configuration now?
Start/Abort