THE SKY’S UNLIMITED

I don’t know how I feel about this story the eminent Aeswiren sent over. Images in the sky could be damned psychedelic. I’m even far from unhappy if and when a Goodyear or Fuji blimp floats over. On the other hand, and knowing more than is good for me about the ways of the world, I foresee sky full of Coors and Nike adverts. I would never ever recommend blowing holes in the helicopter formations with a shotgun because I imagine that would be illegal in most states, but it might be aesthetically interesting. But what about some miniature version of the WWII barrage balloon?

“Mechanical fireflies could help create a new kind of 3-D display, say researchers at MIT. Standing in for the bioluminescent beetles will be LED-fitted, remotely controlled micro-helicopters that can be choreographed electronically to display shapes and images as they hover in midair. The project, called Flyfire, would use RC helicopters similar to the toys sold at the mall today. “Each of the helicopters then acts as what we call a smart pixel,” E Roon Kang, the MIT research fellow who is leading the project, told Wired.com. “By controlling their movement, we can have the pixels flying through the air.” The idea is almost all theoretical now since it is in its very early stages, says Kang. Researchers at MIT’s SENSEable City Lab and Aerospace Robotics and Embedded Systems (ARES) Lab are jointly developing the idea. In traditional displays, pixels are static and arranged on a flat surface. Finding a way to make truly three-dimensional displays has been a frequent subject of research, but few practical solutions have emerged despite decades of effort. The MIT researchers are betting that if each pixel can be made to hover in space and can be controlled reliably, they can create a giant 3-D display.” (Click here for more.)

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The secret name is Tinker Bell

Alex Chilton – RIP