If you were born any time during the last 30 years, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard the James Bond theme. There have been numerous incarnations over the years, but the core really hasn’t changed very much. What I promise you, though, is that you’ve never heard the theme played quite like this. Imagine a swarm of flying robot quadrotors “playing” instruments to perform the Bond theme in their own, and very unique way.
Created by a team of students from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering, these quadrotors are “intelligent” enough to play the theme without any human interaction. I find this all the more impressive given the level of coordination required to perform the song properly, and using so many instruments to do so. The quadrotors play out the tune using a keyboard, drums, maracas, a cymbal, and even a make-shift guitar constructed from an old couch frame. I’m human, and I can’t play any of those instruments!
Quadrotors Performing James Bond Theme
Though this is simply an entertaining novelty, it’s interesting to think forward and try and imagine how sophisticated and even practical these type of robots may one day become. Instead of simply playing midi-esque music for people, perhaps they’ll one day zip around bars serving drinks. People are already using quadrotor diy kits to monitor political events, such as this riot in Poland. Given how relatively inexpensive quadrotors are to purchase and modify, I imagine we’ll see a slew of interesting new applications over the next few years.
Interesting Shots
You’ll find more information on this project over at the official Penn website. The students initially did this for a TED2012 conference presentation, and news about the project spread across the internet in short order. I’m excited to see what these guys come up with next.
