Kinect-Based Robot Controls: Kinda Like Having Your personal Na’vi Avatar [Video]

Since being hacked a couple of weeks back, there’s nearly been a notable re-appropriation of Microsoft’s gesture-based Kinect hardware on a daily basis. Today isn’t any exception: a robotics firm called Willow Garage can now control a humanoid robot using Kinect .

Fast Company says that the Kinect hardware is combined with Willow Garage’s own PR2 Robot, that is powered by the open source Robot Operating System (ROS). And the Kinect makes a stunning good controller, as you’ll find what the robot sees through its head-mounted camera, and then move freely as Kinect keeps you in its crosshairs. Its still a little bit rough around the sides obviously, so you won’t be forging neural links with giant, predatory birds quite yet. Nevertheless it’s a start. And a very good one at that. [ Fast Company ]

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This post is tagged: appropriation, company source, daily basis, humanoid robot, open source, Operating System, predatory birds