Artificial Intelligence vs Intelligence : PILOT PROJECT

An expert human pilot was successfully able to beat flying drones controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) systems in a race organised by NASA.

ABOUT THE RACE

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA researchers, raced AI-controlled drones against world-class pilot "Ken Loo". The team built three custom drones— dubbed Batman, Joker and Nightwing —and developed the complex algorithms the drones needed to fly at high speeds while avoiding obstacles.

WHAT RESEARCHERS FOUND

AI flies drones smoothly around acourse, whereas human pilots tend to accelerate aggressively, so their path is jerkier Compared to Loo, the drones flew more cautiously but consistently. Loo attained higher speeds and was able to perform impressive aerial feats. However, he was limited
by exhaustion, something that the AI-piloted drones did not have to deal with.
On the other hand, the drones sometimes moved so fast that motion blur caused them to lose track of their surroundings, said researchers.
11.1 seconds was Loo’s average flight time, compared to the autonomous drones, which averaged 13.9 seconds.
“We pitted our algorithms against a human, who flies a lot more by feel". ROBREID JPL, the project’s task manager.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

Camera-based localisation and mapping technologies have various potential applications. These technologies might allow drones to check on inventory in warehouses or assist search and rescue operations at disastersites. They might even be used eventually to help future robots navigate the corridors of a space station.

(Source: HT)