Robot dragonfly gets outfitted with camera, plans to record uprising from every possible angle

The folks at the Technical University of Delft have already done their part for the robot cause by building a dragonfly-type bot, dubbed the DelFly Micro, with a wingspan of just four inches, but they've now gone one step further and strapped a tiny camera onto it. What's more, they've also developed some image recognition software that promises to let the bot recognize objects, which could potentially let it locate individuals in a disaster area, or sneak up behind you when you least suspect it. Of course, the researchers aren't satisfied with things just yet, and they're promising to make an even smaller DelFly Nano bot that'd have a two-inch wingspan and weigh just a single gram. Until then, you can check out the current model in action in the video after the break.

[Via Protein Feed]

[jvandervalk @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:52PM]

Muahaha

[deyanimay @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:15PM]

Bit random?

[jvandervalk @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:18PM]

I'm just envisioning evil uses for this. XD

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:52PM]

I can't quite tell if this is fake or not. The camera video definitely lags behind that of the flying machine. It could be that some guy just took a camcorder and ran around the room to get the "birds eye view", or it might just lag. I'm not going to say either way.

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:03PM]

hmm low ranked, and not even a reason as to why. Interesting.

[jvandervalk @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:46PM]

it's because you double posted, engadget posters are insane lol.

[Tyler Ransom @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:11PM]

Your ranked low because your a skeptic to a quite obviously genuine creation.

[Justin @ Jul 24th 2008 3:21AM]

does everyone on engadget like to think everything is fake? like that golden shellback thing too?

[Topionic @ Jul 24th 2008 6:31AM]

You are low ranked because your theory is bullshit.

[Topionic @ Jul 24th 2008 7:07AM]

You are low ranked because your theory is bullsh*t

[jvandervalk @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:53PM]

prepare to be low ranked in 3...2...1...

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:53PM]

I can't quite tell if this is fake or not. The camera video definitely lags behind that of the flying machine. It could be that some guy just took a camcorder and ran around the room to get the "birds eye view", or it might just lag. I'm not going to say either way.

[Midnightbrewer @ Jul 24th 2008 4:06AM]

If that was camcorder footage, then they also went to a lot of work to post-process it so that it looks blurry and unrecognizable. I hope the final incarnation features a camera with actual resolution, and that somebody is smart enough to do a demo where they actually try to get the dragonfly to hover and focus on something.

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:54PM]

the server sure is slow to post comments today

[Mike @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:58PM]

Oh god here comes the serious sally blogger police! The "First" was a joke, hence the LOL. Dont get your panties in a bunch..anyways..

As far as the camera, seriously is there NOT a way to add some stablization to it? Whos gonna be able to watch that let alone spot somethin out?

[sinjinn @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:27PM]

why dont u go make your own if its so easy.

[Jeff @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:46PM]

Oh god here comes the spit police! "Spitting in your mother's face" was a joke, hence the LOL. Dont get your panties in a bunch.

...see how just saying "it was a joke!!!" doesn't actually make it funny, or any less annoying?

weird, huh?

[Mike @ Jul 24th 2008 5:30PM]

Oh god of course how could I make such a mistake? I mean we all know the word "First" and the act of spitting in someone's mother's face are practically one in the same! Im going to go hang my head in shame! Shame, shame, shame........

elitist pricks....

[Graham @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:00PM]

I see your new to engadget. Heres some advice, dont post "first" stuff. It really pisses people off.

[Darth Abe @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:02PM]

seriously jkr? Lag between two superimposed video streams means absolutely nothing and do you think that a research team capable of constructing robotic dragonfly would then run around like a bunch of retards waving the camera in the air?

[Darth Abe @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:06PM]

and I forgot to click reply
wow
I guess I can't talk about stupid

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:02PM]

dude, I didn't say it was fake, I said I couldn't tell if it was fake. And yes, I could see people trying to fake a claim, just read engadget about all the photo shops and stuff.

[Tyler Ransom @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:14PM]

Thats the same f'in thing you dumbass.

I didn't say it was fake, I just said i'm not sure if its real... Isn't that the same idea? .drateR uoY.sdrawkcaB tsuJ

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:23PM]

@Tyler Ransom
I'm not sure if there is a God.
There is no god.

you tell me if they mean the same thing. One is a statement of fact, and can be refuted (possibly). The other is a statement of perception, and is irrefutable. go to an English class some time.

[jkr @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:59PM]

@Tyler Ransom
"I'm not sure if there is a god."
"There is no such thing as god."

you tell me if these two statements mean the same thing. One is a statement of fact that can be arguably refuted, and the other is a statement of perception that can't be refuted. Take and English class sometime. What I am saying is I don't know if it is real, I don't know if it is fake. It could be real, and if so, nice piece of engineering from these guy's. But it also wouldn't be the first time I've seen something faked, like the marine coating that allows your computer to work underwater, or the plastic armor that allows your phone to come out of a blender w/o a scratch. Both of those were fake, and posted here. Be not the first to try the new, nor the last to lay the old aside. A grain of skepticism is worth more than a lb. of belief.

[jkr @ Jul 24th 2008 12:37AM]

more than 30 min for a post to actually post, engadget, your servers got some issues, I can't tell if you lost my post or not, so I end up double posting, while I'm waiting for my post to get put up

[Darth Abe @ Jul 24th 2008 12:40AM]

God just drop it. Haven't you failed enough already?

[Darth Abe @ Jul 24th 2008 12:41AM]

Shit.
Triple post, here I come.

[Darth Abe @ Jul 24th 2008 12:43AM]

Fuck this, I'm agreeing with the troll.
It's way too easy to double post.

[retro77 @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:05PM]

The government is already using this technology...

[Blastar @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:08PM]

Know any info or just think that probably are..

[Bob @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:19PM]

No, he's one of those guys that thinks that the government is already using every new technology that comes out... You know what! I bet the government has been secretly using 3G iPhones for several years now.

[retro77 @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:27PM]

How does an iPhone help you spy on someone? Good job at bringing the iPhone into yet another post.


I was making reference to the fact that if the private sector is using smaller technology then you can bet the government has already had this or smaller technology in use for years now.

[Jhongerkong @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:37PM]

GET THE FOIL HATS

[snotvoid @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:55PM]

More like get out the tennis rackets, then the foil hats.

[Bob @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:28PM]

@ retro77

Are you serious??? I don't even OWN an iPhone, and I don't even really like my Macbook Pro that much... It wasn't the iPhone reference that was the point, it was me making fun for saying a brand new technology is already being used by the government... Get it? You know, the iPhone 3G just came out? It's brand new...? Government has been using it for years? If you need a more in depth explanation, let me know.

[Wwhat @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:51PM]

If you googled a bit you'd see that indeed the US army/government is developing these things and have conferences on the current state of affairs, in fact i think enngadget reported on it.

[initialxy @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:07PM]

are they gonna shove an intel atom inside?

[deyanimay @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:42PM]

No just an atom bomb with a remote self destruct to destroy the enemy and any evidence of spying.

[Blastar @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:07PM]

Scary just as though that someone could spy on you with this kind of thing.
You couldnt know.
Just scary.

[deyanimay @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:17PM]

Actually i make it a habit to smash any bugs flying inside my house or near me.

[A.C.E.R. @ Jul 24th 2008 12:48AM]

Murderer.

[phanbouy @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:08PM]

the only thing more annoying than FIRST! is FIRST! LOL

[Blastar @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:11PM]

Well at least say something usefull when you post first not a monkey ass joke.

[Mike @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:12PM]

So sorry...didnt mean to offend anyones delicate blogging nature!

[deyanimay @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:43PM]

I call BS.

[Mike @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:13PM]

It was a half joke...there SHOULD be some sort of stability placed on it. You cant make out a thing!

[adam @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:34PM]

on a roll...

[jamesp @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:15PM]

at 25 sec it sounds like he says

"super pissed off"

hahahaha

[deyanimay @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:19PM]

He is saying "Super, Pistof, super super super." His friends name is Pistof. =)