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Robosaurus
wpiman writes "The US airforce released this picture of Robosaurus at an airshow. Robosaurus is a purely entertainment robot that stands some 40 feet tall and weighs 30 tons. It can pick up cars, bite them in half, and spits fire. No- it does not appear to run linux." If you look closely, you can just make out Homer and Marge in the car.
I vaguely remember seeing television commercials for car rallies and destruction derbies featuring Robosaurus over a decade ago. How slow a news day is it?
G
I saw this thing a few years ago (make that 8, god am I that old?). Let me clear it up for you:
Believe it or not, quite a few people go to airshows. And these people are a prime audience for a lot of advertising. So most of the performers are in their own business, and all the Air Force/Navy does is provide them a runway for a weekend. And Robosaurus is one of those. So no, your tax dollars were not spent on this thing.
If my answers frighten you, stop asking scary questions.
If you think thats cool. go here
http://www.srl.org
why slashdot doesnt follow their stories is a mystery.
*Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
Actually, the Robosaurus is quite interesting: it's a Waldo. The operator (and one passenger) sit in the head section, where the operator controls the machine's arm movements through by strapping himself into a movable restraint system. When the operator moves his arms, Robo makes the same movements. On the bot's page, the credit Heinlein and Aliens as inspirations. Pretty neat!
Believe it or not, quite a few people go to airshows. And these people are a prime audience for a lot of advertising. So most of the performers are in their own business, and all the Air Force/Navy does is provide them a runway for a weekend. And Robosaurus is one of those. So no, your tax dollars were not spent on this thing.
The Air Force and Navy are happy to host such events on their property, because the crowd these events tends to attract includes a lot of young males who are interested in machinery... a perfect demographic group for miliatary recruiters to advertize in front of. So for them, they consider it a fair trade.
Clearly the "Stuff that matters" bin is a little empty tonight if this made Slashdot...
Much better picture from the Portland International Airshow, 1999
GStreamer - The only way to stream!
Ok, they might have "released the photo", but of thier product. Sheesh. In anycase, here part of the press kit / history about Robosaurus:
Meet ROBOSAURUS, a 40-foot tall 30-ton mechanical dinosaur which offers promoters and sponsors monstrous marketing benefits via huge gates and widespread media exposure. This Hollywood-style spectacle is produced by Monster Robots, Inc., an innovative firm which combines cutting edge technology, special effects, and a professional entertainment production team.
ROBOSAURUS has thrilled crowds at a variety of venues including motor sports events, festivals and air shows. Its credits include appearances at Universal Studios Florida theme park, exposure on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ESPN cable sports network, a date with Super Dave and a starring role in an NBC movie, "STEEL JUSTICE," which was also produced by Monster Robots, Inc. and Universal Studios. Most recently Robosaurus has filmed two movies scheduled for release in 2000 - "Waking Up in Reno" starring Billy Bob Thornton, Patrick Swayze, Thereza Therone and Natasha Richardson and "The Recycler" starring Hank Williams Jr.
Billed as The First REAL Superhero, ROBOSAURUS is a great crowd draw and a real publicity bonanza. As a Headline attraction ROBO has broken attendance records at venues such as The Superdome in New Orleans, The Kingdome in Seattle and other airshows and motorsports events across the country.
ROBOSAURUS is action at its most exciting. The crowd feels the heat of 20-foot flames shooting from giant nostrils and hears the sound of crunching jaws and tearing metal as the towering beast roars into action to defend the world from modern-day criminals and environmental terrors by devouring drug smuggling planes or gas guzzling cars.
Exciting sponsorship opportunities range from image-enhancing tie-ins with a social or environmental message to market-enhancing product tie-ins. The monster appeals to all age groups; adults are fascinated by the computerized beastÍs technology-children by its "Superhero" characterization.
Commercial opportunities such as official food, beverage or other product status are built-in. ROROSAURUS was designed so its wrists can turn to simulate drinking from a container where the beverage cans are 50 gallon drums. In one creative "taste" test" scenario, Robo tastes each brand, then roars and crushes the losing brandÍs can.
Monster target marketing opportunities exist, for example, with fans of motor sports, air shows, hydroplane races and other motor-oriented events, the largest spectator audience in the U.S.. The unique marketing attribute of ROBOSAURUS is that he is not limited to a limited genre of entertainment venue. ROBO can perform at a motorsports event at the Astrodome one weekend and be in the "Rose Parade" the next.
A wide range of sponsor benefits packages includes signage and logos, product awareness via massive media exposure, product promotion and custom sponsorship packages. A recent grocery chain sponsor enjoyed a 15 % increase in store traffic for six weeks due to an event promotion centered on ROBOSAURUS.
Monster Robots, Inc. was formed in l988, when its founders combined creative, professional and entrepreneurial backgrounds in business, aerospace engineering and special effects production to create a unique, experienced and expert monster management team.
ROBOSAURUS was created as a showpiece of state-of-the-art hydraulic, electrical and mechanical technology. The firm spent two years developing and building it in affiliation with more than 30 high-tech companies like Parker-Hannifin, an international hydraulics corporation and the project's major sponsor.
ROBOSAURUS in conjunction with "The Portland Rose Festival" was the winner of the "1995 International Festivals and Events Association's Pinnacle Award for: MOST CREATIVE/EFFECTIVE NEWS STUNT".
"Our object is to present large than life entertainment," said Mark Hays, President of Monster Robots, Inc. "This unit is the ultimate in audience involvement and entertainment. ROBO really blows people away, and its marketing potential is tremendous!"
It's a frelling RC car!
"You might as well get your son a ticket to hell as give him a five string banjo." -unknown minister
Actually, the Air Force didn't "rent" it either - it was a paid "act" at a military open house. These events are designed to offer information and entertainment to tax-paying Americans. Robosaurs is quite a draw for the average 8 year old boy - and his tax-paying parents. It's a win-win for the recruiting world.
FYI, Optimus Prime was brought back in the third season in a two part episode, The Return of Optimus Prime.
Also, concerning Optimus Prime's trailer, all Transformers have an allotted amount of subspace where they can instantaneously store and retrieve stuff. He also stores his gun there, and that also explains why larger Transformers like Megatron can shrink in their transformation process. That's the mythology anyway.
Just being of service.
The inventor of Robosaurous is Doug Malewicki.
His website has details of other things he has worked on or invented, including a rocket belt, Evil Knievil's SkyCycle, 248 mph electric car, flying can cooler, jet bikes, and the "build your own hovercraft" that used to be advertised in comic books.
oops, nix the hovercraft credit:r 02.htm
http://www.canosoarus.com/14AirCar/AirCa
For those who don't know, the "burninating" reference is from Strongbad. Very funny shit. I highly recommend it.
http://homestarrunner.com/sbemail.html
I was unfortunate enough baking in the sun with the rest of the desparate for entertainment crowd in Riverside. I was suprised to see Robosaurus was still out doing it's car eating gag. Robosaurus has been doing it's thing since 1989. Quite a career for a robot. I was even more suprised that anyone can call something this old "news".
It has a human operator... there is no AI in it at all
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
cool pic from 'robosaurus in action'..
MEGA-Streisand!
There's nothing Intelligent about Intelligent Design.