We know that the Wiimote sometimes gets used for things other than waggle -- hell, it's even been helpful to the disabled. Its newest foray outside the world of games has to do with a research project being conducted at Rice University, which hopes to find a way to use the Wiimote to control robot teachers.

Led by Rice professors Marcia O'Malley and Michael Byrne, the project plans to analyze motion using the controller and then compare it to an advanced capture device from Vicon. O'Malley has had previous experience with research on robots and how they can be used to help stroke victims, and describes the current research as an extension of that. She comments:

We’re already grabbing motion data from the Wiimote, so soon we’ll be able to measure a range of motion and then turn it into a mathematical model.

Science: kicking ass and taking names since the Middle Ages!

[Via Edge Online]

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

ssboisen

Just wanted to add that the robot you see on the picture is called Kismet (or atleast it's a modified version of Kismet):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kismet_(robot)

mikeyed

It's very well known for hypnotizing young ladies, actually.

Neonie

That picture is like an 8 on the creepy scale.

UreshiiShonen

I got to meet and talk to Kismet at MIT. It was awesome.

ssboisen

Damm UreshiiShonen, as an robot-engineering student i envy you bigtime :) how geekish :)

Charlietime

My Furby likes the wii, and goat blood.

Holyetheline

Interesting. *strokes beard*

MrSadistic

Yes, very interesting. I hope doing the deed with girl robots isn't too far off.

*strokes holyetheline's beard*

basscomm

That's pretty odd, but I'm pretty sure that this one still wins strangest use.