Bingo, they are presenting coordinated motion instead. They are close to a swarm, they are independent, but not sure if they are still commanded by a central computer (off-board), which means it's not a swarm by a mile. In hindsight, if they are playing back a script on-board each copter, it would be considered modeling swarm formation, but nothing close to flocking (there needs to be a leader quad).

Or everyone becomes a generalist since to make sense of all that new information, we need to integrate it.

In the end, my theory is that robots will be the specialists, as humans are pretty good at integration.... or in other terms systems engineering...

why track by RFID when in the future, we'll likely be tracked by DNA alone. It's coming... believe me...

Top Down == innovation for the sake of business (value)
Bottom Up == innovation for the sake of knowledge (evolution)

Hasn't changed for thousands of years if you think about it. Aside from the power hunger dictator once in a while.

You all realize Newt was in Broward Co during that speech... you know, where KSC is located and the biggest employer in the area?

Wouldn't it be easier to just say, "for all I know an asteroid can hit us tomorrow and pretty much make debating space travel moot".

Cause we have great technology, all that space stuff (in detecting asteroids, planets, solar flares, ionosphere stuff) is still much in theory (or sort of works).

And if one looks at nature, we don't need to go now...we've always been goin' (shouldn't stop).

Yep, no different from McD's using non-humane cattle farms, and risky meat. People are concerned, but when it comes to their chicken nuggets or McRib (which is NOT real RIBS), they look the other way.

To solve a problem from this is gotta come "from within", McD's did it with veggie oil and soy products, and getting there with the humane part. And it was from the leaders of that company to finally do something about it. Apple needs to do the same, they are similar companies business-wise. The customers will not, nor the investors.

Good luck.

it's all about weight weight weight.... retrofitting with human environmental systems will reduce the already maxxed out payload capacity and could weaken the structure. These rockets are optimized for their payloads...

FYI, their U-verse service runs similarity. I just switched after finding out I'm too far away from the switching station excuse...

Problem is their U-verse VOIP implementation is just plainly a hack and screws everything else (TV, Internet) up.

This will not handle well, period... the physics don't allow it.

But as something to casually get from point A to B, not bad...

Gesture input that is....

Put a sheet of pepper's ghost horizontally and some cool things can come out of a large space like that.

Or in actual terms by the FAA, that "the civilian user" shall follow guidelines set by a specificed industry authority, aka the AMA, which sets AGL to 400 feet.

Putting real laws in place has been in discussion with Congress for the last year (main decisions where in June of '11), but has been put off 2 times already. It keeps getting delayed.

What I see is likely restriction of autonomous flight (with the right to shoot down), and the status quo for controlled flight. Not much will change aside from full autonomous modes.

We don't have an obligation to solve America's problems.

Considering Apple pays taxes (at least on record), and uses their 'right' as a citizen (since corporations are people), I find that comment somewhat elitist and a bit condescending. Since corps are people, they are the same as let's say a rich celebrity or wealthy oil man--which only care about themselves.

There are some wealthy folks that do think the opposite (Bill Gates, George Soros, Warrent Buffett, Richard Branson for example), but that's the exception. With a comment for that, Apple just exposes how out of touch rich "people" are and their lacking respect for the system--it's $h*ty corporate governance and stewardship.

Ar.Drone example.
    1A@11.8V (3 cell lipo), 10C rating == 10A*11.8 == 118Watts continuous max discharge.... a 100+W solar panel is $$$ and weigh over 8lbs.

    The Ar.Drone cannot fight headwinds period. You'll need way more powerful motors, like any of the open source UAVs. Basically a few lbs. Most of the DIY UAVs can fight a Beaufort 4 wind, but not reliably.

    IR? No thanks.

    Laser? No thanks (unless you want to shoot something down).

    Military uses microwaves, but their UAVs can carry 100lbs, and are not micro... and cost a lot...

We're still about 6-8yrs away from a "Golden Eye".

And maybe closer to Benjamin Franklin's (cash). I hear Nome's a big gold mining town...