Developer Blaine Bublitz has hacked into Google Glass to give us a controller option which can be used to fly a drone. Ever since the ‘wearable smartphone’ was released for developers, we’ve been seeing all sorts of apps being created for it. But the most notable have mainly been augmented reality (AR) applications, if not simple on-screen ones which usually require some sort of verbal command in order to work as intended.
Google itself implied that tasks like clicking a picture, sending a message, translations and so on would probably need verbal input to function. In case of AR apps like Field Trip, your location data is used to automatically display information about interesting landmarks in the area. But Bublitz’s creation is a little different in terms of how it works.
Mainly using Google Glass and JavaScript, the developer has made it possible to steer a Parrot AR Drone, notes DVICE. The flying robot was shown to be controllable via simple head movements. Of course, the controls are not strictly smooth considering that the project still has some way to go. It should be good enough for tech buffs who’ll settle for its ‘impressive potential’ though.
If you look at the video, at first glance, it may seem like the drone is obeying mind control. But that’s not it. Anyone interested in the nitty-gritty details of the experiment can take a look at the developer’s page. Not awed by this story? You’ve probably been exposed to Emotiv’s Kickstarter project which allows users of their headgear to deliver mental commands like push, levitate, rotate and so on to move compatible objects.
But after you’ve crashed your nth drone due to your lack of concentration, a wearable which understands your head jerks and tilts, may probably sound like a better option.