http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/ever-dream-controlling-robot-swarms-new-virtual-reality-headset-could-help

Robot swarms could revolutionize everything from search and rescue missions to mining, but figuring out how to oversee so many moving parts is tough. A new approach lets people control tiny, semiautonomous robots using virtual reality (VR)—much like a child might herd a swarm of crawling ants.

After donning VR goggles, the operator hovers above a virtual arena containing up to nine robots that can independently navigate and coordinate with each other. Three of these virtual robots also have real-world counterparts nearby. To move the robots, the user simply reaches out in the simulation and picks them up. The user can also guide them—or trap them—by building walls with a pinch-and-drag motion (above).