Robot Swarm Control On Microsoft's Surface

zerOnIne writes "Dr. Mark Micire of UMass Lowell has built an intriguing new user interface on the Microsoft Surface, a multitouch-capable table computer. The interface is being used to control swarms of robots for disaster response, search, and rescue. One of the most interesting things about it is the intuitive tabletop joystick widget. Using a very fast hand-detection-and-identification algorithm, they can paint a touch joystick (dubbed the DREAM controller) directly underneath the hand. This joystick conforms to the size of the user's hand and tracks with hand movements, making sure that the control is always directly under the hand where the user expects it, even without haptic feedback. I've had a chance to go hands-on with this system, and I think it's truly remarkable."

Comments

Re:Unbelievable

[cptdondo]

It's a very, very cool front end. Where does it get the data in the real world?

I'm running a construction job with 3 contractors. Today they had 8 excavators, 3 backhoes, half-dozen off-road trucks, a water tanker, a vactor truck, and probably a few things I've forgotten. They were hammering up concrete, ripping down a building, tearing up a dam, and moving an incredible amount of dirt. They still managed to dump the dirt in the wrong place.

A webcam http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/millrace/images/ww.jpg and a cell phone do more for me than this.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's cool as hell, but GIGO applies to this in spades.

I'd love to see a real application for this; not a simulation.

Whats the worst that could happen?

[gmuslera]

Using a Microsoft product to control a swarm of (potentially killer?) robots?

Is it just me?

[dangitman]

Isn't the "swarm of robots" aspect slightly more interesting than the "touchscreen interface" aspect?

Mod This Shit Down

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, I saw that episode of Saturday Night Live too. I laughed at it. I enjoyed it. With me so far?

It aired April 8, 2000, more than ten years ago. It got old. You're not funny or clever. You're not some kind of deep, cultured, worldly guy. You're some dude on Slashdot who's repeating something from ten years ago that was amusing but not all that funny in the first place. It was a bit funny back when that ugly fuck Christopher Walken said it and it was a new skit. It's repetitive now.

You might as well parrot another predictable, cookie-cutter, assembly-line Slashdot meme. The only difference is that it would be a Slashdot meme and not a pop culture meme. Nothin' personal. Just that Slashdot will be greatly improved when we stop celebrating this bullshit.

Re:Mod This Shit Down

[Ihmhi]

This rant needs more cowbell.

Can do!

Yeah, *tunk* I *tunk* saw *tunk* that *tunk* episode *tunk* of *tunk* Saturday *tunk* Night *tunk* Live *tunk* too. *tunk* I *tunk* laughed *tunk* at *tunk* it. *tunk* I *tunk* enjoyed *tunk* it. *tunk* With *tunk* me *tunk* so *tunk* far?

It aired *tunk* *tunk* April 8, 2000, more than ten years ago *tunk* *tunk* *tunk*. It got old *tunk*. You're not funny or clever *tunk* *tunk* *tunk*. You're not some kind of deep, cultured, worldly guy *tunk* *tunk*. You're *tunk* some *tunk* dude *tunk* on *tunk* Slashdot *tunk* *tunk* *tunk* who's repeating something *tunk* from ten years ago *tunk* that was amusing but *tunk* not all that funny *tunk* in the first place *tunk* *tunk*. It was a bit funny back when that ugly fuck *tunk* Christopher Walken said it and it was a new skit. *tunk* It's repetitive now. *tunk* *tunk* *tunk*

You *tunk* might *tunk* as *tunk* well *tunk* parrot *tunk* another *tunk* predictable, *tunk* cookie-cutter, *tunk* assembly-line *tunk* Slashdot *tunk* meme. *tunk* The *tunk* only *tunk* difference *tunk* is *tunk* that *tunk* it *tunk* would *tunk* be *tunk* a *tunk* Slashdot *tunk* meme *tunk* and *tunk* not *tunk* a *tunk* pop *tunk* culture *tunk* meme. *tunk* Nothin' *tunk* personal. *tunk* Just *tunk* that *tunk* Slashdot *tunk* will *tunk* be *tunk* greatly *tunk* improved *tunk* when *tunk* we *tunk* stop *tunk* celebrating *tunk* this *tunk* bullshit. *tunk*

(*tunk*.)

Re:Boooring

[macshit]

"Surface" is yet another piece of slightly-interesting-in-theory-but-kind-of-meh-in-reality tech that microsoft has been trying to get people enthused about for ages -- and consistently failing. You know, kind of like tablet computers before Apple actually made people want them.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Apple suddenly teams up with Ikea and has every living room in the country computing with their coffee-table within 3 months though.