Linux Online - Tiny Linux Computer Has High Hopes For Robotics Apps

Tiny Linux Computer Has High Hopes For Robotics Apps


Publication:	Information Week	Date:	Jun 18 2005
Reporter:	Alexander Wolfe

A computer-science professor at the University of Essex has created a novel, airborne robotics application. He's combined a $99 Linux single-board-computer, called Gumstix because it's roughly the size of a stick of chewing gum, with a motor and propeller and sent the package aloft, maintaining control via a wireless LAN connection.

"So far we've flown one fixed-wing aircraft and one helicopter," said Owen Holland, who is also the head of computer-science research at the British school. "The helicopter development has gone amazingly smoothly. It appears to be stable and it's still reasonably maneuverable. We're now concentrating on achieving visually controlled autonomous flight on a single helicopter."