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Homemade Mecha Walks in Japan

Posted by timothy on from the first-alaska-now-this dept.

EtherAlchemist writes "Sakakibara Kikai has pictures and even a movie of their Land Walker robot (Babelfish translation here) which appears to work. Powered by a 250cc gas engine and armed with several guns (including 2 that fire Nerf-like balls) it stands at a little over 3 meters. What makes this one interesting is that it is actually armed and it is piloted instead of being an exo-skeleton. Makes me wonder if the creators of shows like Robotech or comics/RPGs like Battletech have any kind of licensening rights on appearance. I'd like to see a Warhammer..."

13 of 349 comments (clear)

  1. Of Course by jcuffe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Japan would be the first country to build a walking robot that shoots stuff.

    1. Re:Of Course by SparksMcGee · · Score: 5, Funny
      I feel I speak for all frustrated nerds who have so often wished for a robotic engine of death of our very own when I say "Ha ha ha! Fools! I'll destroy them all!"

      /with ackowledgments to Gary Larson

    2. Re:Of Course by Forthan+Red · · Score: 5, Funny

      Some people will do anything to win the con's costume contest.

    3. Re:Of Course by kai.chan · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Starting from plastic models of their favorite mecha, the Japanese have a genuine interest in robotics. The anime and game industries are big factors in Japan's advances in Robotics. Because of mainstream interest in mecha, especially Gundam, University clubs and hobbyist start huge projects on trying to replicate the cool mecha seen in anime.

      Contrast to Robot Wars with wedges slamming each other (which I find to be quite monotonous and repetitive after the first few times), I believe that the path the Japanese are taking -- bipedal robots which are more versatile -- will benefit mankind in terms of usefulness and application. Heck, even the Japanese version of Robot Wars is much more entertaining to watch, with the robots going through various attack patterns. Check it out here

    4. Re:Of Course by McFadden · · Score: 5, Interesting
      You're right. There's even a prime-time family show over here (completely unrelated to anything techie) that has a robot-walker battle segment in it where amateur hobbyists duel it out with robots that would put the "wedges" to shame. Mom, Dad and the kids all turn up to control or cheer on the beast that they've been furiously developing in their garage. Their robots even do funky kung-fu style moves (albeit slowly!), or have 'gloat' manouevers so that they can do a little dance after they've knocked the other guy off the arena.

      A few years ago when the dotcom crash blew apart our industry I nervously accepted a position in Japan and headed out here not really knowing what to expect. I can honestly say its the best decision I ever made. I've never regretted it for a single day. I'd recommend it to anyone.

  2. What the heck? by FireballX301 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It has one autocannon and a single gatling cannon. Where are the Extended range lasers? Or the Crossbow missiles?

    I'm actually quite impressed though, but I'd like to see a shot of it actually walking around and such.

  3. And the Pilot? by CharAznable · · Score: 5, Funny

    Any word on which 15 year old socially inept angst-ridden teenage son of one of the creators will be chosen to pilot it?

    --
    The perfect sig is a lot like silence, only louder
    1. Re:And the Pilot? by Slimcea · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'd say this is closer to the Gundam/Mechwarrior series rather than Evangelions (since the Eva series is pretty much organic in nature).

      Of course, if this will lead to hot mysterious blue-haired girls with red eyes, then I'm all the more for it :)

  4. Just because... by DuranDuran · · Score: 5, Insightful

    > Makes me wonder if the creators of shows like Robotech or comics/RPGs like Battletech have any kind of licensening rights on appearance.

    This may sound like a troll, but I don't mean it that way:

    Just because in this day and age people can sue other people for just about any reason, doesn't mean that everything needs to be turned into a legal issue.

    If I was a member of this mecha's development team and I read this, I'd seriously be wondering whether inclusion on slashdot was really such a good thing after all.

    --
    "You can justify anything by putting it in quotes, adding a famous name and making it a sig" - Albert Einstein
  5. Reason why it shuffles and doesn't walk by taneem · · Score: 5, Informative

    It takes too much power to drive actuators to raise the feet off the ground. A lot more energy efficient to use the wheels. Of course, it's a lot more complicated to build a walking mech too, and what they've built thus far is remarkable already. Still, they take a hit in terms of agility - this mecha ain't going nowhere fast. Now it needs a jetpack...

  6. Re:But... by nmb3000 · · Score: 5, Funny
    And if it runs OS X, "everything just works."

    ...but it's made of bright green plastic and you only have one button. And it's the self-destruct button.

    --
    "What do you despise? By this are you truly known." --Princess Irulan, Manual of Muad'Dib
    /)
  7. Waddling Overlords by MrFlannel · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one welcome our new ... oh, nevermind, it can't even walk right.

    --
    Clones are people two.
  8. Do the Shuffle by MDMurphy · · Score: 5, Informative

    While it has legs, it's really a stretch to call this walking.
    Now this is a walker: http://www.plustech.fi/Walking1.html
    Video: http://www.plustech.fi/WalkingVideo.html

    Yes, it has more than 2 legs, but at least they come off the ground and wouldn't be stopped dead in it's tracks by a speed bump.

    The walker reference probably came from it's gait, it looks like an old man in slippers while pushing a walker in front of him.