CSAIL’s tech isn’t ready for real-world use. A Parrot Bebop 2 drone responded to 82 percent of over 1,500 gestures — promising, but not what you’d depend on in a vital situation. The scientists intend to refine the technology, though, including the option of custom or more continuous gestures. They’ll ideally learn from the commands to better understand input or learn to navigate on their own.

If the technology does escape the lab, though, it could make robot control more accessible to people who’d otherwise be intimidated. It could also be helpful for remote exploration, personal robots and other tasks where you may want the more organic control of a human for tricky situations.