Pixelbots, Disney Research + Autonomous Systems Lab

[Airicist]

Collaborative project of Disney Research Zurich and the Autonomous Systems Lab, ETH Zurich.

[Airicist]

A display formed by mobile pixels

Published on Mar 31, 2014

A new kind of display formed by a swarm of mobile robot pixels.

Collaborative project of Disney Research Zurich and the Autonomous Systems Lab, ETH Zurich.

See 'Image and Animation Display with Multiple Mobile Robots' - Javier Alonso-Mora, Andreas Breitenmoser, Martin Rufli, Roland Siegwart and Paul Beardsley, International Journal of Robotics Research, 31:753-773, 2012.

MEDIA NOTES: Disney Research and ETH have created a new kind of display - the pixels are small colorful mobile robots which create cartoon-like images or animations. These are the 'Pixelbots'. Pixelbots can be seen on the Disney Research YouTube channel, where they present a 'Story of the Universe' animation including a fish, a dinosaur, and a human.

Pixelbots are two-wheeled robots. They can make robotic images on tabletops or on whiteboards (using magnetic wheels). It's possible to sketch on an iPad and see the Pixelbots move into position to create the drawing, or to direct them by pointing motions. Altogether, it's a whole new way of looking at cartoon images and animations. These are 'Pixels with Personality'!

[Airicist]

Interaction with mobile pixels

Published on Mar 31, 2014

[Airicist]

Article "Command a glowing robot horde to do your bidding"

by Paul Marks
April 10, 2014