Friday, November 30, 2012

The Iron Giant is real...


            Photo from the Huffington Post

           Back to robotics! This time the story I am covering is less Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot, and more the military suits in Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Believe it or not, a Japanese robotics company, Suidobashi Heavy Industry, has made a giant 13-foot robot that is for sale at $1.3 million. It took two years to create from idea to completed construction.
            The creator of the machine said that it is intended as more of an art piece than an actual fighting robot, but it has machine guns built into its hands and rocket launchers in its shoulders (they are not loaded with real weapons yet). The weapons can even be fired by a smile from the pilot - Ah, the irony. That sounds pretty fighting robot to me. The creator has also spoken out about how he has long wanted to bring the things from his favorite sci-fi movies to life.
            The robot has humanoid hands that can pick things up. It also has wheels that can carry the robot at around 6 miles and hour. The robot can be controlled by either a pilot within the robot or remotely with a smartphone. 

Sounds like the perfect Christmas present for that Sci-fi fan on your list. You know, if you have $1.3 million sitting around.




Full BBC article - here
Huffington Post article (great photo slideshow) - here  

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