Wiimote and iPhone Being Used to Control Military Robots

[Haemorrhage]

Packbot (http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=170) was designed for US solders to help disposes of bombs, sniffs out explosives and checks for landmines. Some even have machine guns, however they haven't been needed in combat yet. iRobot, the creators of Packbot, are now using a Wiimote to intuitively control the robot and plan to utilize the iPhone for its onscreen displays.

From New Scientist Tech: (http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/mg19726495.800-wii-and-iphone-to-help-military-control-freaks.html)

Packbot is capable of some autonomous tasks, but is usually remote-controlled by a "joypad" similar to the controller used with most video games consoles, or a traditional joystick. The Wiimote is far more intuitive because movements of the hand directly translate into movements of the robot. Bruemmer says it should allow soldiers to control the robots more instinctively, freeing them up to pay closer attention to the incoming sensor data

The pair also plan to harness the iPhone for military use. As an alternative to lugging a laptop around, Few and Bruemmer plan to modify the Packbot to transmit footage compatible with the palm-sized iPhone

Now that is one video game I would love to play.

[Lint of Death]

Yay, I always knew the technology used in Vantage Point wasn't absurd.

[divinechaos]

Why is it that EVERYONE uses the Wiimote in interesting and awesome ways BUT Nintendo?

[jakie_chon]

To me it honestly seems like a waste. Both are consumer products and have an extra cost than manufacturing alternatives. Especially for the iPhone. They intend to use it as a screen only? wth?

[NoName]

Now that is one video game I would love to play.

You want to be a soldier in Iraq wondering if that package in the corner is meant to blow you up or not? :rolleyes:

[Wolfgang]

They also use the 360 gamepad in the field.

[Karmakaze]

To me it honestly seems like a waste. Both are consumer products and have an extra cost than manufacturing alternatives. Especially for the iPhone. They intend to use it as a screen only? wth?

There's no way the military would be able to contract out a custom handheld screen device for less than $400 a pop. They won't be ordering millions of them, only maybe a couple thousand, so for any company to recoup the development cost, they would have the charge an insane per-unit price.

[Orz]

There's no way the military would be able to contract out a custom handheld screen device for less than $400 a pop. They won't be ordering millions of them, only maybe a couple thousand, so for any company to recoup the development cost, they would have the charge an insane per-unit price.

That logic works for the Wiimote. But the iPhone? Fuggedaboutit.

It'd be cheaper to assemble the screen pixel by pixel using union labour!

[Headcase]

Why is it that EVERYONE uses the Wiimote in interesting and awesome ways BUT Nintendo?

I agree with this. Many people complain that Wii is all about waggle and doesn't have enough traditional games, but in reality it is the opposite.

This military work sounds like a return to R.O.B. :p (but ROB isn't this badass outside of Brawl). So it would be like "The terrorists have placed 3 coloured bombs shaped like blocks that will only deactivate if we can stack them up on top of each other". Yeah sorry, that wasn't clever at all.

[sparkfizt]

To me it honestly seems like a waste. Both are consumer products and have an extra cost than manufacturing alternatives. Especially for the iPhone. They intend to use it as a screen only? wth?

Likely it's rapid prototyping. Why build a custom touchscreen widget when there's already a consumer one for cheap. 400 bucks may be alot to normal person, but when you're talking about defense contracts 400 is an infitesimal blip. It's easier (and exponentially cheaper) to use a COTS product than design one up from the ground.

[Shodan2020]

Ever see the mid 90's comedy,Toys (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105629/) with Robin Williams? This is sort of like that, except without the wacky fake barf antics.

[Mathilda]

i loved toys!

[MojoJojo]

You want to be a soldier in Iraq wondering if that package in the corner is meant to blow you up or not? :rolleyes:
Yeah, but I'd totally sign up use it to send a MALP to P3X-974

[lockwoodx]

Why is it that EVERYONE uses the Wiimote in interesting and awesome ways BUT Nintendo?

Nintendo doesn't have to, they just scored a multi billion dollar contract with the goverment!