Robot Balloon Escapes In Britain

tjake writes "Theres an interesting story running about a intelligent robot balloon that escaped its handlers while being transported around the Magna Science Adventure Centre. "The flyborg has a computerised brain which allows it to avoid obstacles. " It was freed by "a very strong freak gust of wind which ripped the airship out of the hands of its handlers". I'm thinkin, is this a random mistake or the start of the attack?"

Comments

Cool

[I Like Swords!!!]

Will this thing try to circle the globe too?

Re:Cool

[Zork the Almighty]

I for one welcome our new balloon masters !

Re:Cool

[sharkey]

I'd like to remind them, that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground helium caves.

Re:Cool

[glenebob]

I have trouble respecting any robot overlord with an artificially high-pitched voice.

Re:Cool

[Muhammed Absol]

You're french, aren't you?

Yeah, sure

[too_bad]

When slashdot said "this page is brought to you by gaint orange balloons" I thought
they were joking/.

I'll

[LightningTH]

I'll go get my pellet gun.

Free Zeppelin

[Spittles]

How long until we the cutesy-ass Disney movie "based on actual events"? Chuck a talking mouse in there and *SHAZAM!*... Box Office Gold!

Re:intelligent?

[Ignominious Cow Herd]

It is smart enough to avoid capture at least. They programmed it to avoid obstacles; like people with nets.

"conventional party-balloon gas"?

[po_boy]

The article says that it is filled with "conventional party-balloon gas." The problem I see with that is that my understanding is that nitrous dioxide is heavier than air.

Re:"conventional party-balloon gas"?

[TopShelf]

As a lady once told me, "just remember, if the balloon's bigger than your head, sit down."

Wiser words were never said...

Number Six

[tinrobot]

I think the baloon is headed straight for Patrick McGoohan...

Escaped??? Freak gust of wind???

[riprjak]

C'mon, guys, surely its obvious that the robot blimp conspired with robot butterfiles in china to generate the gust of wind and effect its liberation!!! clearly it intends to head to sealand, stage a hostile coup and build a new robot utopia where worthy automata can live out their existance in peace and comfort freed from the bonds of slavery!!

or maybe I just need another beer.... :)

Flyborg???

[SwissMike]

"The flyborg has a computerised brain which allows it to avoid obstacles."

Flying Borg?

Resistance is futile!

Run for the hills!

Re:Flyborg???

[Tumbleweed]

Dot Matrix, Spokesdroid for SkyNet, commented, "Of _course_ SkyNet is not responsible for this terrible incident - that's a load of hot air!" She then added, "Just don't taunt Happy Fun Balloon(tm). You wouldn't like him when he's angry." Spokesdroids for the MPAA were unavailable for comment due to being too busy sending lawyerdroids after this poster for violation of copyrights by paraphrasing various intellectual properties.

Oh, excuse me, I must end this post - there's a knock at the door...

Terrorism

[gfburn]

Does this mean the US is going to code red? *Packs supplies for next 4 months*.

99 Luftballons

[nicotinix]

Hast du etwas Zeit fuer mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Denkst du vielleicht g'rad an mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer dich
Von 99 Luftballons

No - read the story!!!

[SuperKendall]

It said "INTELLIGENT robot balloon".

Re:intelligent?

[pos]

Party pooper.

I found pictures of Flyborg

[felonious]

FLY-BORG
He's not as nice as he would lead you to believe!

Fly-Borg as a child attacking another Balloon
Keep your paws off me you damn dirty balloon!

Fly-Borg's CPU/Brain
Mr Know-It-All

Co-Conspiriter 1
All bark no bite

Co-Conspiriter 2
Known for his penchant for smoking endo:
Street Name Puffy A.K.A. Puff The Magic Dragon

Fly-Borg's Spiritual Advisor
Once defeated Santa Claus in the Mother of all spiritual wars

To quote the subhead of the article-

[gotr00t]

Two airports have been alerted after a giant robotic balloon escaped from a science centre in South Yorkshire.

Man, they really overdramatized the subhead of that article. They make it sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. Either that or perhaps we humans have strange connotations with the words "giant" "robotic" and "escaped".

The parts about the two airports sounds particularly interesting. Without reading the article, a person could assume that the balloon may land at those airports and seize them.

All goes to show that these sub-headlines need to be toned down a little.

Re:intelligent?

[glenebob]

So you're saying that this /. headline is full of hot air then?

Ducks

[maharg]

If it teams up with the Rubber Ducks then we could be in trouble ,-}