[Divvy]

Well it's been a good ride, but looks like time's up for us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sUeG...layer_embedded

We've seen some pretty impressive tricks from the University of Pennsylvania's swarm of quadrocopter drones, but nothing prepared us for this. In its time off from navigating obstacle courses, formation flying, building structures, and literally flying through hoops, the swarm managed to pick up some impressive musical chops, bringing us this flawless rendition of the James Bond theme. The tiny robots all play actual musical instruments, too — either by landing on organ keys, dragging a stick across a harp, or beating a drum with a mechanical arm. The trick is actually accomplished by filling the "stage" with infrared lights and cameras that capture the locations of the individual drones. The team then sets a series of 3D waypoints — say a C-sharp note on the organ — as well as times that the waypoints (notes) need to be hit. What's really incredible here is that the drones have to plot their own individual courses — the UPenn website reads "figuring out how to get from waypoint to waypoint most efficiently and without disturbing their neighbors is up to the robots."

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/29/28...tra-james-bond

[hteng]

amazing!

[GrotesqueBeauty]

I'll be worried for humanity when they learn to play it well. I'm personally a fan of Bohemian Rhapsody on a bunch of old computer equipment.

[Trancetronic]

The fact they can hover and keep themselves afloat for such a long period of time is some serious drone/cypher status

[maquiladora]

dat ending! of humanity

[Poyunch]

I imagined a bunch of humanoid robots flying through the air while they riffed guitars and stuff. But this is nice too.

[archnemesis]

Love it! I want one as a pet.

[sykoex]

Wow that's really impressive. I was about to post "this humanity doomed meme is getting old" but then I realized that's exactly what the robots want us to think.

[Dead Man]

OP is brilliant.

I'll be worried for humanity when they learn to play it well. I'm personally a fan of Bohemian Rhapsody on a bunch of old computer equipment.

But this is amazing!

I have always been partial to the tesla coils playing Mario: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1O2jcfOylU

[Winnie the Pimp]

nice, they still need some practice, but...


I for one welcome our incredibly musical overlords

[SuperAndroid17]

The chuckie cheese robots are still better...

[spats]

Wow that's really impressive. I was about to post "this humanity doomed meme is getting old" but then I realized that's exactly what the robots want us to think.

Exactly.

So this is what the end of the world sounds like.

[Hoo-doo]

I love these quadrotor video's so much. Almost eerie how versatile these are.

I'm just waiting until they eventually get weaponized and called "manhacks"

[Rapstah]

That's so goofy. I can just see the lead scientist walking into the lab one morning and the robots quickly stop playing their instruments and hide back in their boxes where they should be.

Imperial March on floppy disk drives is also worth a watch if we're talking computer noise made music.

[Always-honest]

These things are my nightmare.

[Despera]

Ending is hilarious.

[Rekubot]

This didn't seem that impressive until I read the robots are doing their own pathfinding. Absolutely incredible.

[Secret_Riddle]

With the limited amount of work each robot does, I'm forced to conclude that this composition is very poor. The final result is a very basic and lackluster recreation of such an iconic theme. I didn't get goosebumps, nor did I get an erection.

I shouldn't think any of them will ever be very successful as musicians.

2/5

[Kentpaul]

i don't even.. but my eyes are watering up with tears at how awesome the video in the OP IS

edit

I LOVE THE INTERNET.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B34...eature=related

[Meatpuppet]

The full TED talk by the professor leading this stuff is pretty good

http://www.ted.com/talks/vijay_kumar...cooperate.html

[Goron2000]

Where my crowbar at?

[SuperSonic1305]

I was expecting a band called the flying robots to be playing the theme while skydiving or something.

[Operations]

Impressive. The flying bit is nifty, but watching them cooperate is something else.

[YesNOnoNOYes]

Amazing !

The only thing they need now is a bangin' band name !

[DoctorWho]

Amazing ! The only thing they need now is a bangin' band name !

Flying Robot Band?

[Always-honest]

i think they recorded this and uploaded this themselves.
They want to create an image of them being cute, harmless and helpfull, while in reality no person in that building survived.

[Phthisis]

I'm going to add to the list of "machines playing music" by throwing out this video of the Minardi F1 team making their car play When the Saints Go Marching In.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTGzMrq5d04

[Adam Blade]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=35602067

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