Monday, September 27, 2010

Video: Swiss Researchers Test Largest-Ever Swarm of Aerial Robots | Popular Science

Video: Swiss Researchers Test Largest-Ever Swarm of Aerial Robots | Popular Science (skip to 1:17 in video): Students built 1-pound plastic foam microdrones with 31-inch wingspans and outfitted them with electric motors, a Linux-based processor, GPS and a WiFi dongle. Then they had to design swarm algorithms.
First, the researchers used artificial evolution models to uncover unique control mechanisms, and reverse-engineered their findings. Then they turned to one of evolution’s best-studied social systems: Ants.
As the project’s Web site explains, the creatures deploy to search for and maintain pheromone paths that lead them to food. This behavior can be an analogue for deploying communication networks that would help rescuers, the researchers say.

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