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AT-ATs Coming to a Forest Near You
Audent writes "Not strictly speaking anything any of us should classify as work related, or even open source, but holy shitbags! I want one of these.
Plustech, a subsidiary of tractor maker John Deere, has built a six-legged walking logging machine that just has to be the prototype for an AT-AT walker. Imagine parking this puppy at the mall!"
Because of course the world certainly needs newer, bigger, and better ways to cut down even more trees.
If this company wants to make a go of this, they're going to have to make a military version. I don't know about you, but if I saw one of these things comming at me, I'd run for the hills!
There is no spoon or sig.
Does anyone else think this looks like one of Dr. Seuss' worst nightmares?
Somewhere, a Lorax is crying...
A conventional tank's armor protects its means of locomotion pretty well (like a tortoise), but legged creatures have it all hanging out there.
Just concentrate your attack on the weak joints and it's game over.
--
Power to the Peaceful
Have you ever even been around any construction/industrial equipment or machinery in your life? That thing is not loud by any means. In fact, until I watched the videos, the impression I was getting from all the loud comments was that this thing sounded like a jet engine or something (kinda like my comp sounds, heh). This thing is suprisingly quiet. I mean, if you listen closely as it walks, you can even hear the chains on its feet dangle and clank as the feet pads move. Sure, it isn't museum quiet, but your typically lawn mower is probably louder than this thing. I'll agree that it isn't all that fast, but I think the speed is almost just right for walking through forests, you don't wanna run into trees going too fast now.
You're obviously not clued in on how the logging industry works. These advancements will in NO WAY WHATSOEVER reduce logging. It will, however, increase profit, but don't think for a second that logging companies are going to log any less of their "purchased" parcels of land.
hmm... you know...
1) if you rip the belt / track with a mine, etc; a conventional tank is out of service. i assume a military version of a walker can walk with 4 or 5 out of the six legs, albeit slower, etc
2) there are "armored" creatures in nature too where the legs are not exposed. think armadillo for example
3) same goes for humans as to the "attack on the weak joint". that's why there are such things as ARMOR. hell, take a look at a medieval knight and how every joint they have are armored.
lastly, with *enough* manuverability you no longer even have to worry about being hit (as much), because you can
a) dodge the damn shells (lateral movement)
b) get to them before they get to you (terrain adaptability advantage)
c) get to a place where they can't get to you or where you would have a significant tactical advantage (climb a steep hill / up side of a building, etc)
My life in the land of the rising sun.
Those legs are way too vulnerable.
Imagine rope or netting looped around a couple. I doubt they have much power for moving, simply strength for holding up. Think of your own legs when someone tied your shoelaces together. A puny little shoelace and you couldn't break it with your legs! One of the few things I believed in whatever Star Wars episode that was (New Hope?).
The legs need armor, but trying to armor them individually and completely would add way too much weight and bulk.
Consider a tank -- all that armor on the sides and some on the top. Battleships armored the individual turrets, but almost all the rest was on the sides and under the deck. Individual compartments were not armored. Not even magazines had their own armor, they were simply buried as deep as possible within the armor.
Infuriate left and right
Most environmental groups either worry about the effect of logging on local wildlife, or the rampant destruction of trees in south america.
The fact that a cool-ass tree-cutter comes along really doesn't bother them too much. Its more of the parking lot thats gonna replace the tree they hate more.
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On a side note, it rather reminded me of a grasshopper, not an ant.
But I just want to see that simulator software GPL'd. Run it on Windows or Linux, I don't care. Even if it weren't turned into a game, it'd be cool for the geek factor! :)
Actually, if used wisely (which as always is a big if), something like this could be quite good for helping to stop deforestation. No roads need to be cut into the forest, and no clearcutting; instead a couple of guys with these could pick out a tree here, a tree there, and still leave the forest basically intact. It's like plucking a few hairs from your head here and there, vesus shaving one spot.
Oh, and the question is not "tree" supply. It's forests. A forest is more than just a bunch of trees, ya know.
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
You cannot wash away blood with blood
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Seriously, remember the game "Cootie" when you were kids? (Those of you who aren't kids anymore anyway.)
He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."
If you're going to try to randomly repeat what smart people once said, at least try to get it right.
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