NASA Uses Kinect and Oculus Rift to Control A Robotic Arm

Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulusion Laboratory are experimenting with robots using the Xbox One Kinect sensor and Oculus Rift.

The team has been using the gaming technology to control a robotic arm called JACO in real time. According to NASA, the way it works is by combining the position tracking from the Kinect and the rotational tracking of the Oculus to create a first-person view for their operator. Once the operator is set, he can then perform simple tasks like picking up blocks.

If the tests prove successful, future applications could include using the technology on the Robonaut 2 humanoid on the International Space Station.

This isn't the first time NASA has used gaming technology. Earlier in 2013, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory used the Oculus Rift paired with an Omni treadmill to recreate what it's like walking on the surface of Mars.

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