Tiny Vidius VR drone offers pilots a live cockpit view

These days, the choices are plentiful for pint-sized, remote-controlled drones that safely tuck away in pockets. Aerix Drones (formerly known as Axis Drones) has evolved one of its most successful models with a virtual reality twist. The Vidius VR drone is designed to immerse users in live, first-person-view flights through the use of special VR goggles.

Aerix Drones is no stranger to creating quadcopters that are portable and affordable. We've previously reviewed the Aerius and Vidius drones, finding each to be great options for anyone looking to learn and/or have some fun. With the help of customer feedback, Aerix has significantly improved the latter by upgrading hardware and adding new features.

The Vidius VR drone keeps the same 1.7 x 1.7 x 1 in (4.3 x 4.3 x 2.5 cm) form as its predecessor, but now packs a far more capable video system. This new camera is said to offer higher resolution, brighter colors, and smoother images overall. More importantly, the wide-angle lens will provide users a greater range of sight when flying the drone via mobile app (available for iOS and Android).

Tablets and smartphones pair with the Vidius VR drone up to a range of 100 ft (30 m) directly through Wi-Fi — no local network or internet access is required. This connection allows the 480p video feed to stream directly to devices in real-time. Pilots seeking a true cockpit view need only set the app to "Goggle Mode," slide the smartphone into the (included) Aerix VR goggles, and then fly the Vidius VR using its 2.4 gHz controller.

Compact drones can be tricky to operate, given that the lack of sophisticated hardware – often found in larger, more expensive models — makes them subject to vertical and horizontal drift. Aerix has equipped the Vidius VR with an altitude assistance module, which is a barometer-styled device designed to help the drone adjust and maintain steady height. Users will be able to focus more on directional flight with less worry about the drone dropping too low or soaring too high.

Crashes happen, quite often leading to lost or damaged propeller blades. The Vidius VR sports removable blade guards that are meant to protect the drone and reduce the instances of blade replacements. Users can also activate an emergency blade stop when a crash is imminent — we've found that spinning blades quickly project across entire rooms or tangle up in grass, hair, or string.

Each 20-minute charge through the included USB cable is good for five-to-seven minutes of flight time. As with Aerix's other drones, the Vidius VR offers 6-axis gyro stabilization, pre-programmed speeds, trick mode, and LED running lights. Best of all, no FAA registration is required.

The Aerix Vidius VR drone is available now for a pre-order sale price of US$75, saving $20 off the planned retail. Each Vidius VR drone comes complete with a 2.4 gHz controller/transmitter (2x AAA batteries sold separately), VR goggles headset, USB charge cable, one set of replacement blades, mini screwdriver, and a mini blade removal tool.

This isn't the first tiny drone we've seen promising a virtual-reality experience. The Micro-Drone 3.0 launched a successful Indiegogo campaign for a similar item last year but, based on the comments on that campaign, it's been somewhat less than successful in delivering. At least Aerix actually has a track record of producing drones, so you should be in better hands with them.

Source: Aerix Drones, New Atlas

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Geek Speak: Vishal Harinandanan

If one should wonder what kind of a place Kidobotikz is, there is usually more than one answer to it. That’s because things that happen here transcend the definition of normal. And the organization in itself has not much to do with this. This is more due to the tots that come under our umbrella. These ten-something tech wizards cannot stop redefining the way we look at kids and their calibre. Conversations I have with these young gentlemen refines the way I think and usually puts me to shame over my inadequacy of tech understanding. However, it is more than just a learning opportunity for me. It’s more of a motivation for me to learn more. Every week I get to meet some of the well versed and ingenious minds who are raising the bar for us as a society to live in. Let’s meet someone who is the youngest astronomy wizard I’ve met until now.

Hey Vishal! Why don’t you temme a bit about yourself and your path to Kidobotikz?

I am Vishal Harinandanan. I am studying at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Anna Nagar. I am in the Advanced level here at Kidobotikz. I joined Kidobotikz because of my dad. He got to know of his Kidobotikz through his friend who has a son who studies here. Besides, my dad knew about my love towards robotics. So, naturally he wanted me to explore the world of robotics through Kidobotikz. 

That is interesting. So, you were aware of robotics even before joining here? How did that happen?

Well, I’ve loved robotics all my life. Even as a young kid I used to buy DIY Kits online and do projects of my own. I am a big fan of Iron Man. So, I tried to make the Iron Man arm using DIY kits. I made the entire forehand assembly and even added motor in the palm and tried to emulate a weapon wheel with cardboard. I used cardboard only because mom didn’t let me use actual metal (laughs).

You did all this even before joining Kidobotikz? That’s a surprise! Is there anything else you haven’t done? 

Actually, I wanted to do a lot more with Robotics. That’s why I joined Kidobotikz. Here I have learnt a lot deeper about the world of robotics and its core technologies. I now have the intellectual freedom to try out more. Besides, my Dad is a big support to me in this regard. I go to him with designs and he helps me brainstorm as to how I can make the designs better. He is an engineer. So, he has some expertise in this area, which I use to my advantage. 

Your enthusiasm in this area is quite amazing. What do your teachers think of you back school?

Actually, my interest in robotics has earned me quite a notoriety in school. We have an hour of Electronic Gadgets (E.G) every week at school. And I am usually the one who raises my hands to pester my teachers with questions. My teachers have a hard time containing my excitement in this particular hour. 

That is quite amusing. So, temme what kinda robots capture your fascination?

Since I like Iron Man a lot, I would have to say, I like Iron Man type exoskeleton bots. I dream of designing one of my own one day. 

What is the project you are working on? 

I am working on a collaborative project with my friend Amay who’s also here today. We are developing a Kiiva-type transporter bot for the KRG event Autotransbot. 

That is interesting. My best wishes. One last question before we move on, what are your ambitions in life? What do you plan to do with your knowledge that you learnt here?

I want to become a robotics scientist in life. And since I also love astronomy, biology and working mechanisms in general, I want to explore something that involves all of these areas.

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Geek Speak: Karthik Chidambaram

Kidobotikz is a fountainhead of knowledge where one gets to discover some interesting youngsters. When one enters Kidobotikz’s makerspace, it is usually a beehive of activity with geeks and their tools. These tech aficionados are generally oblivious to the happenings around them and are lost in squeezing every bit of functionality out of their robots. They are an entire breed who strive to achieve something phenomenal. They strive to give something back to the vast pool of knowledge in the robotics community. These teenagers redefine our perception of practical learning and its impact on young minds. Conversations with these young gentlemen is something I cherish. I enter the Kidobotikz makerspace and notice someone who is fidgeting with his robotics kit. He is hard at work for getting his idea right. Sensing that he needs a break, I pull him up and try to distract him with by getting an interview out of him. Interestingly, he is a digital platform student- a new bunch of students who learn through Kidobotikz’s online platform instead of the old classroom model. He is here to just get a feel of the makerspace and get a few projects ready for project display at KRG August. 

Hey Karthik! Why don’t you temme a bit about yourself and your path to Kidobotikz?

I am Karthik chidambaram! I study in Class 8 of Amritha Vidyalaya, Amman Nagar. I completed my Beginner level recently and am now awaiting the results for my Beginner level exam. I came to know about Kidobotikz through a mutual friend who had told my friend about this place. I have been interested in robotics from a very young age. So, I decided to check out this place. And I fell in love with it. 

Robotics enthusiast even before Kidobotikz? How did that happen?

I have always liked remote controlled (RC) cars. When my dad bought me one, I opened it apart and used the components to build one separately. I have been obsessed with robotics and motors ever since.

That is interesting. How goes your Kidobotikz course? And what are you working on today?

I still haven’t started my advanced level as my Beginner level project is yet to get approved. In the meanwhile I wanted to get ready and do something for KRG. So, I came here to get some new ideas and develop them for the event. 

Have you participated in KRG before? Or is this your first event?

Nope. This is my first KRG and I am quite excited about it. I have decided to make a pick and place robot that will pick waste and place it in a basket. 

Interesting! So, what kinda robots do you like?

RC Helicopters and Cars have always been my fashion. Hence logically, my new obsession is drone tech. Particularly Quadcopters which have endless applications in the future. I have already started researching on how to build one by myself by watching DIY videos on Youtube. Once, I accumulate all the required knowledge and components, I’ll start assembling them. Hopefully soon!

That is cool. One last question before we move on, what are your ambitions in life? What do you plan to do with your knowledge that you learnt here?
I want to learn medicine and become a Doctor. For me robotics is about fun and learning interesting concepts in a fun way. Besides, I want to use my knowledge of robotics in Biomedical engineering. That way I can contribute to medical community through engineering.

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Lehmann launches future-proof, modular drones for professionals

Drone technology has changed rapidly over the past decade and France's Lehmann Aviation is looking to help professional drone users future-proof their UAVs with what the company claims is the world's first modular design in its latest line of drones.

In the past, Lehmann has offered higher-end UAVs designed with photography and mapping applications in mind, even for users with little flying experience. But the company's new L-A series ups the ante with a line of drones designed for an array of field assignments, ranging from mapping to mining, construction and precision agriculture.

The new line of drones includes the base model LA500 and models outfitted specifically for use in agriculture and mapping. The autopilot, wing and camera holder on each model can be swapped out to upgrade as technology improves in the years to come, while detachable winglets are also designed to make the craft easier to transport.

At the core of the series is an aluminum, carbon fiber and EPP foam construction loaded with plenty of tech designed to get down to business. The drones boast a range of 25 km (15.5 miles) with up to 45 minutes of flight time and a long range data modem to stay connected. The LA500-RTK model intended for high precision mapping supports cameras like the Sony α6000 with its large APS-C, 24.3-megapixel sensor, while the LA500-AG agricultural model boasts Parrot's multispectral Sequoia sensor for crop monitoring.

Other key specs of the hand-launched, autonomous-landing UAV include a 116 cm (45.7 in) wingspan with detachable winglets attached. The drones weigh up to 1.25 kg (2.75 lb) and are propelled by a single electric pusher propeller with brushless motor. The series boasts a cruising speed of 20 to 80 km/h (12.5 to 50 mph) but can't handle rain or snow.

The L-A line also runs off a new version of the company's OperationCenter flight planning and control software designed to run on Windows 10 touchscreen devices.

Get a tour of the L-A series in the promotional video below.

Source:NewAtlas,  Lehmann Aviation

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Implantable sand-sized sensors to monitor internal goings on in real time

Health and fitness monitors may have come along in leaps and bounds, but there's still a whole lot they don't know about us. Placing miniaturized sensors deep inside our bodies would be one way to change that, and now it seems such a technology mightn't be so far away. Scientists have developed tiny wireless sensors they call "neural dust", which track nerve signals and muscles in real time, opening up a wide array of potential applications that range from checking internal organs to wirelessly controlling prosthetics with your mind. 

Neural dust is more than just a catchy name. The researchers, from the University of California, Berkeley, have managed to squish the sensors into 1 mm cubes around the size of a large grain of sand, and implanted them into the muscles and peripheral nerves of rats. These cubes house piezoelectric crystals that turn ultrasound vibrations (applied from outside the body) into electricity. This provides a power source for a miniature on-board transistor that rests in contact with the nerve to measure electrical activity.

When there is a voltage spike in the adjacent nerve, it modifies the circuit and in turn the vibrations of the piezoelectric crystals. When the vibrations are bounced back to an ultrasound device on the outside of the skin, the change in echo can be analyzed to reveal the voltage of the nerve.

"Having access to in-body telemetry has never been possible because there has been no way to put something supertiny superdeep," says Michel Maharbiz, one of the study's co-authors. "But now I can take a speck of nothing and park it next to a nerve or organ, your GI tract or a muscle, and read out the data."

In their current form, the researchers say the sensors could be used outside the brain not just for monitoring, but also stimulating nerves and muscles to treat things like epilepsy, inflammation or fire up the immune system. Eventually, they hope to develop tinier versions that can be packed into the brain, an advance that could mean big, big things.

"The beauty is that now, the sensors are small enough to have a good application in the peripheral nervous system, for bladder control or appetite suppression, for example," says neuroscientist Jose Carmena, a member of the research team. "The technology is not really there yet to get to the 50 micron target size, which we would need for the brain and central nervous system. Once it's clinically proven, however, neural dust will just replace wire electrodes. This time, once you close up the brain, you're done."

A 50-micron sensor would measure about half the width of a human hair, and planted in the brain it could represent a game-changing development in the way our minds communicate with machines.

Our ever-improving ability to track the electrical signals coming from the brain has already opened up some exciting possibilities, from mind-controlled drones to mind-controlled colleagues, but these involve immobile, specialized caps or implanting electrodes into the brain, which then degrade within a couple of years.

If working with the neural dust instead, scientists could implant them in the brain by the hundreds, seal up the wound and be done with it. This would avoid infection and undesired movement of the electrodes and could potentially last for decades, where they could perform the role of relaying brain signals to be turned into control inputs for prosthetics.

There's still a lot of work to do before this happens. Not only are the researchers working to make the device smaller, but the sensors are currently coated in surgical grade epoxy. They are looking to improve on this by using biocompatible thin films instead, which they say could last for decades. They are also working towards improving the ultrasound transmitter and even expanding the sensors' capacity to pick up on non-electrical signals, like oxygen and hormone levels.

"The vision is to implant these neural dust motes anywhere in the body, and have a patch over the implanted site send ultrasonic waves to wake up and receive necessary information from the motes for the desired therapy you want," says Dongjin Seo, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer sciences at UC Berkeley. "Eventually you would use multiple implants and one patch that would ping each implant individually, or all simultaneously."

The research was published in the journal Neuron, and the video below provides an overview of how the sensor works.

Source: NewAtlas, University of California, Berkeley

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"Play"- The new way of Learning

Any parent who has ever spent time helping Kids learn their subjects in the primary years have always been in tune with the child’s learning practices, their likes and dislikes. Kids in general are very picky learners. They tend to hold bias in their minds over the subjects they learn. They love learning a few subjects while tend to neglect others. This can be observed in the manner they express enthusiasm towards a few subjects as against the others. Parents can even observe the spark in children when they are learning their favourite subjects. So, it is safe to surmise that children learn best when they are interested and engaged. And their engagement and interests are at a high when they love what they are about to learn.

Using children’s interests as a basis while designing curriculum helps to ensure that learning is not only interesting but is also meaningful and relevant to them. The usual subjects of dislike to them such as math and science cannot be avoided. Regardless of children’s likes-dislikes, bitter pills such as these have to be administered to them for their own well being. But, if there were mechanisms where kids intuitively preferred math and science and took more interests in these subjects, it would be desirable and save parents the trouble of force-feeding them with these subjects. But the daunting task of making math and science simplified enough for young children to comprehend them has always been a challenge fraught with risks. Making the subjects simple enough usually renders them juvenile and illogical. Hence, educators have always been sceptical of tinkering with the way the important concepts of math and science are tutored at school.

When considering the balance between such important aspects of learning, it helps when we observe the various facets of children’s interests and look for the key psychology behind these interests.  Studies show that kids enjoy learning when they have to use their dexterity in the task. They learn from constructive activities such as assembling blocks, creating art and even making mud castles. These activities awaken their primal instincts of learning that has led to us evolve as a species. So, why not use similar activities to make them learn math and science in a manner that is both engaging and does not let feel the burden of comprehending concepts.

The good folks at Kidobotikz believe our Kits serve the same purpose. The kits of kidobotikz are no more a toy than brightly coloured plastic bricks that kids love to assemble. The kits of kidobotikz are no less fun than a remote controlled car or helo. But, there is something that makes our kits stand out from the plethora of play options available at any toy store. It is the skills of math, science that a kids gets acquainted with when he uses the kit that makes the kit stand out. It is the joy a kid gets from indirectly learning his academics that makes the kits stand out. With the Kidobotikz kit, it is never a “pause” from learning because it is always “play” learning.

Happy Roboting ! !

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Facebook's lightbulb moment for drone-based internet access

If you think your internet is slow, spare a thought for the estimated 4 billion people on the planet who have no access at all. Rather than the costly process of building towers and burying cables, Facebook is taking the internet to the sky to get those people online, much like Google's Project Loon. After last year unveiling the drones that would beam data-laden lasers down to remote areas, the social networking giant's Connectivity Lab has now solved the problem of how those beams of light are received, achieving speeds of up to 2 Gbps.

Transmitting information wirelessly using light, or free-space optical communication, has the potential for very high bandwidths and data capacity. The problem is, it's a precise science at the best of times, and aiming a tiny laser at a tiny photodetector across vast distances is no easy task, especially when the laser is moving. Using mechanical systems to reorient the detector so the laser hits it is one solution, but it's not an elegant one.

Instead, the Connectivity Lab team designed a lightbulb-shaped light collector, made up of a bundle of fluorescent, plastic optical fibers. With a surface area of 126 sq cm (19.5 sq in), the unique shape of the device allows it to collect light from any angle, which it then concentrates onto a small photodetector. The fibers also contain organic dye molecules that absorb blue light but emit green.

"The fact that these fluorescent optical fibers emit a different color than they absorb makes it possible to increase the brightness of the light entering the system," says research lead, Tobias Tiecke. "This approach has been used in luminescent concentrators for solar light harvesting, where the speed of the color conversion doesn't matter. We showed that the same concept can be used for communication to circumvent pointing and tracking problems while accomplishing very high speeds."

The high speeds in question can reach up to 2 Gbps, which is even more impressive when you consider that the system only has a bandwidth of 100 MHz. The speeds are thanks to the use of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), which is a method of encoding data that allows multiple streams to be transmitted simultaneously. The fact that it takes less than two nanoseconds for the device to absorb blue light and emit green light helps as well.

The researchers say blistering speeds of up to 10 Gbps may be possible in future, if the system can be adapted to incorporate materials that work with infrared wavelengths.

"We achieved such high data rates using commercially available materials that are not designed for communications applications," says Tiecke. "We want to get other groups interested in developing materials that are tailored for communications applications. This is a very new system, and there is a lot of room for future development."

The research was published in the journal Optica. 

Source: The Optical Society, New Atlas

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