Amazon has patented a delivery drone that can understand human speech, and recognise and respond to a range of physical gestures.
The unmanned aerial vehicle would be fitted with a “communication system” capable of interpreting and understanding visible and audible commands from people on the ground.
That system would comprise either a visible light camera, infrared camera, RGB camera, depth sensor or ultraviolet sensitive camera, states the document, which was spotted by GeekWire.
It adds that the drone would be capable of recognising voice gestures, arm gestures, multiple-arm gestures, hand gestures, multiple-hand gestures, body gestures, natural reaction gestures, “flag” gestures, sign gestures and “static” gestures.
If, for instance, you were caught unawares by one while wandering down the street, you’d be able to make it retreat by shouting at it or waving it away. To attract one, you could either beckon it closer or, presumably, attempt to chat it up.
The whole, rather innocent, idea is that people are helpful, and would be willing to assist drones on their delivery missions. Only after they’d reached a pre-determined address and received an “indicate to deliver” gesture would they drop their payload.
It’s an interesting idea, but we’re not sure how well such a system would work in the real world, especially if the intended recipient wasn’t around, but an opportunistic thief was.
What gesture would you like to make to an Amazon delivery drone? Share your thoughts @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
