They can solve Rubik’s cubes faster than any human, they can get around by themselves in chariots – and now Android phones can take control of NASA rovers.
The Droidrover project is the work of a team of NASA researchers who tricked out a Senseta rover with a Arduino board and a Bluetooth unit. They then paired the Droidrover with a Nexus One and with a custom-made app, used the phone as a remote control for the wheeled automaton.
Excluding the cost of the rover (Senseta rovers start at $20,000, or £12,640) the bundle cost a relatively inexpensive $600 (£380), assuming the full retail price of the Nexus One. That’s a tad more expensive than the Truckbot – Cellbots.com’s cardboard effort which the Droidrover team cite as an inspiration and cost a mere $30 (about £20).
Chances are you probably won’t find one under your Christmas tree this year unless you’re a lottery winner or you’ve been really really really good.
[Source: Android Community]