Jeff Bezos puts that robotic dragonfly at center stage in video clip from Amazon’s MARS conference
Find someone who looks at you the way Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos looks at the robotic dragonfly that’s buzzing around his head at this week’s MARS conference.
MARS is Amazon’s annual invitation-only event focusing on Machine learning, Automation, Robotics and Space. This year’s attendees range from researchers and entrepreneurs in all those fields to celebrities like “Star Wars” legend Mark Hamill and veteran astronauts including Mike Massimino and Story Musgrave. (Astronauts attend for free.)
This week marks the fourth annual MARS gathering, which has now given rise to an open-to-the-public spinoff called “re:MARS.” The first re:MARS conference is planned for June 4-7 in Las Vegas, with a $1,999 admission charge.
Lots of weighty subjects are addressed at MARS, but Bezos says the most important metric for judging success is to “have some fun.”
He certainly seems to follow that precept in the clip from last night that he shared on Twitter and Instagram. Earlier in the day, we got a peek at the BionicOpter that Germany’s Festo AG designed to fly like (and look like) an oversized dragonfly — but during the onstage event, Bezos and the bug dominated the spotlight.
The scene has the potential to rank right up there with other MARS moments, such as last year’s robo-dog walk, or 2017’s giant robot with Bezos at the controls.
Thank you @FestoAG, but bigger please…. I want to get on! #ThinkBig #MARS2019 pic.twitter.com/uXqvkf623B
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) March 19, 2019
In the workaday world, BionicOpter is meant to be used to provide sensor data continuously from the air, via a wireless connection. But at The Parker Resort in Palm Springs, the purpose appears to be purely to have some fun.
Bezos released the BionicOpter to take a few spins around his head, and then the dragonfly’s keeper gracefully grabbed the dragonfly from the air.
“You’re good at catching it,” Bezos said. “You’ve done that before.”
Afterward, the billionaire registered one request: “Thank you @FestoAG, but bigger please…. I want to get on!”
Bezos did get on a bigger flying machine during a MARS outing to the Palm Springs Air Museum. He sat in the single seat on Lift Aircraft’s Hexa ultralight passenger drone, which could show up in Seattle one of these days. But that’s another story.
The myriad highlights from Monday’s MARS session make for another story as well. Check out our roundup of tweets from the first day, featuring visual dispatches from Arizona State University planetary scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton. And check out this fresh batch of tweets from today’s MARS goings-on:
Cas Anvar (the Expanse) came, by which doubled down in the great chat with the two writers known as James Corey (Ty & Daniel). #MARS2019. #MartianOnTheLoose pic.twitter.com/CikgzSckYD
— greg dudek (@gdudek) March 19, 2019
Mars attacks! Sorry y'all for getting desynchronized like a bad assassin in the live video…here's the fully synced video with a couple teasers from an upcoming video about the awesome time I had with @AbrahamHanover & @JamesSACorey at @JeffBezos' #MARS2019. #MartianOnTheLoose pic.twitter.com/rNIQHg0TLf
— Cas Anvar (@Casanvar) March 19, 2019
Open Robotics CEO Brian Gerkey with a @rosorg based #robot from @IITalk #MARS2019 @amazon pic.twitter.com/wWINdKdHxX
— Open Robotics (@OpenRoboticsOrg) March 19, 2019
Absolutely incredible getting to learn up close about #motobike & #motodroid at #mars2019! Make sure you check it out! The future is here!https://t.co/M2g8XjMf1E #AI #MachineLearning #IoT pic.twitter.com/CJTR2vzA6T
— Andrew Morawski (@amorawski) March 19, 2019
Very impressive- @blueorigin rocket motors on display #MARS2019 pic.twitter.com/lr8gWwcBW3
— Mike Massimino (@Astro_Mike) March 19, 2019
Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio uses the animal world (no completely rigid animals exist) to motivate soft robot skins. #MARS2019 pic.twitter.com/x9vs1iSWrf
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) March 19, 2019
Here’s a soft robot of hers with skins wrapped around, causing flexing. #MARS2019 pic.twitter.com/ew2hZO8wBY
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) March 19, 2019
A blue Blue Origins engine and the beautiful Moon. #MARS2019 pic.twitter.com/eHFdJEbxas
— Lindy Elkins-Tanton (@ltelkins) March 20, 2019
Self balancing motorcycle at #MARS2019 pic.twitter.com/vZwiV5MCwU
— Yves Behar (@yvesbehar) March 20, 2019
“You don’t have a job. You don’t have a career. You have a calling. If that’s you, you are truly lucky.” @JeffBezos #MARS2019
— Chris Lewicki (@interplanetary) March 20, 2019
Last night at Amazon #mars2019 Our gracious host and progenitor of this amazing conference @jeffbezos giving a shout out to the incredible Amazon team crew that made it all happen. Thanks everyone for an evolutionary time. #steam pic.twitter.com/YRLxuMOSXw
— Matt Wallin (@mattwallin) March 20, 2019