Quadrocopter Can Fly Autonomously Thanks to Kinect Cam

We know, we know, every time a new Kinect hack or project makes its way onto YouTube, we call it the coolest Kinect hack ever, but we can’t help it – the stuff people are doing with the Xbox 360 motion detecting camera is amazing. This new hack by a bunch of robotics students at MIT and the University of Washington is undoubtedly impressive. By combining a Kinect with a quadrocopter, the MIT kids were able to create a small copter that can navigate on its own without bumping into things by using the cameras depth mapping sensor. The purpose is to create a flying vehicle that can continue to function in GPS-denied locations. The explanation is pretty nerdy stuff involving state-of-the-art algorithms and advances in visual odometry research funded by the Office of Naval Research and the Army Research Office, but think of the possibilities. We could see fully autonomous spy bots in the near future! Geeky video explanation after the jump.