11月、YouTubeにアップロードされた「Amazing in Motion - SWARM」というレクサスのCMに注目が集まっている。夜の街を自由自在に飛び回るクワッドローターの群れは、一見するとCGに見えるが、実は全て本物の自律飛行ロボットで、事前に施されたプログラミングによって動いているのだ。
このクワッドローターを開発したのは、KMel Robotics社。レクサスのオフィシャルサイトによると、CMに登場したクワッドローターは、デザインにレクサスの車を思い起こすような、ヘッドランプやマフラーのデザインをモチーフとして取り入れ、塗料もレクサスの車に使われる物を使用。ボディーの一部を3Dプリンタで作成しており、最先端技術を結集させた機体だ。
あたりをきょろきょろ見回しているような動きや、他の機体と一定の距離を保ち規則正しく移動する動きは、意志を持って動いている生き物にも見える。Twitterでは、CGではないことに対する驚きの声があがった。
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