Controlling a robotic blimp with Android

As an open-source operating system, Google Android offers more than meets the eye: in one case, wireless robotic control via a T-Mobile G1 smartphone.

A clever team of people have turned the G1 into an Android-based console and used it to control the Surveyor YARB robotic blimp. Apparently, the tilt sensors in the G1 work nicely for rotor control, and the crisp screen helps in displaying the live video from the blimp's onboard Surveyor SRV-1 Blackfin camera.

Naturally, a video:

And another:

The project is hosted on Google Code at code.google.com/p/srv1console/ as well as www.surveyor.com. [via DIYdrones]