Engineers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a humanoid robot that can fly an aircraft without the need for cockpit modifications. The Pibot robot can move its arms and fingers to deal with the flight instruments on the plane.
External cameras allow Pibot to monitor the current state of the aircraft, while internal cameras help control the main switches on the control panel. Pibot is able to remember complex instructions, which increases its adaptability to different aircraft.
According to the KAIST team, the android’s memory is so great that it can remember all of the Jeppesen air navigation maps around the world, which is impossible for human pilots.
“You just need to put in the robot the configuration of the control systems of all models of aircraft in the world, and it will immediately be able to control any of them,” says David Shim, assistant professor of electrical engineering at KAIST.