MOL
California
In what’s been dubbed a cross between a GoPro and a quadcopter, physics researchers have designed the world’s first wearable drone.
Called Nixie, the drone folds up and attaches to a wrist strap.
When the wearer wants it to start filming, they press a button and the drone unfolds and flies overhead, tracking their movements using motion sensors. The drone then returns to the wearer’s wrist, which could be controlled using a timer, or summoned using gestures.
It was developed by Dr Christoph Kohstall, a physics researcher at Stanford University, with colleagues Jelena Jovanovic and Michael Niedermayr. And the concept is a finalist in Intel’s annual Make It Wearable competition.
As a result, the team has been awarded $50,000 (£30,700) to help make it a reality.
In addition to the prize money, all finalists are given mentorship and technical support from the Santa Clara-based tech giant.
Dr Christoph Kohstall has also created an early prototype, which will be developed and is set to undergo further testing later this year.
The winner of Intel’s competition will be announced on 3 November.
It is unknown when the Nixie will go on sale, and how much it will retail for, but MailOnline has contacted the company for more information. Other finalists include the Vumbl sports and activity necklace, a wrist-worn air conditioning unit, and a production glove. Make It Wearable is a year-long contest, open to students over the age of 13, designers, engineers, and makers.
Earlier this year, Helio Aerospace Industries unveiled the first ‘pet’ drone that automatically follows its owner - and could change the way sports are filmed. It is not wearable, like Nixie, but the Airdog drone can be fitted with a GoPro camera to capture high definition footage of extreme sports, tracking everything from skateboarders to BMX riders.
AirDog tracks and follow users and their trajectory, and has a flight time of up to 15 minutes. It can also reach speeds of 40mph (64km/h).
To use AirDog, a programmable remote is strapped to the wrist or helmet, and it is likely to retail for $995 (£612). Earlier today, GoPro unveiled its latest models.
The Hero4 models are available in black for £369 ($499), and silver for £289 ($399)
The black model includes 1080p120 video capture, and the silver model has a built-in touchscreen. GoPro also introduced an entry-level model, called Hero, for £99.99 ($129). The new line go on sale 5 October.