2023 Author: Bryan Walter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 22:24
MIT students have created a drone that can draw by repeating human movements. Development details are available on the website of the Fluid Entertainment Group project, which optimizes human-computer interaction.
In order to get the quadcopter to reproduce human hand movements on paper, the researchers used the Optitrack motion capture system. The system not only monitors the movements of the hand, but also the canvas and table, with the help of which the image transfer process is carried out, which makes it possible to adapt the installation to other surfaces. To stabilize the drone, the students used a special proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.
The drone can be programmed to reproduce the movements of the artist on a larger or smaller scale. In addition, the multicopter can create mirrored images, both in real time and with a time delay that is set by the user. In general, the drone is better able to reproduce accurate slow movements, while very long and fast movements can introduce errors in its operation.
The laboratory proposes to use this technology for people with disabilities that do not allow them to draw on a vertical surface.
