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Robotic Penguins

Posted by samzenpus on from the unending-march-of-the-penguins dept.

Corporate Troll writes "Robotic penguins were unveiled by German engineering firm Festo this week. Using their flippers, the mechanical penguins (video) can paddle through water just like real ones, while larger helium-filled designs can "swim" through the air. The penguins are on show at the Hannover Messe Trade Exhibition in Germany. Each penguin carries 3D sonar which is used to monitor its surroundings and avoid collisions with walls or other penguins."

14 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...Does is run linux?

    (We all knew this was going to be asked!)

    1. Re:But... by Sensible+Clod · · Score: 5, Funny

      Must also insert reference to Tux.

      Now imagine if someone could get Windows to run on it. That would be funny.

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  2. Now we need a robotic shark.... by FooAtWFU · · Score: 5, Funny

    (frickin' laser sold separately).

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  3. This is the future.. by Lorienthin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am still relatively young and without children..but is the purpose here that when we systematically destroy actual penguins' habitat I can still show my kid this robot and say "Well, they used to swim kind of like that"....

    1. Re:This is the future.. by hax0r_this · · Score: 5, Interesting

      While I agree with you in principle, have you ever actually seen a penguin in nature?

    2. Re:This is the future.. by jaxtherat · · Score: 4, Informative

      In Australia, you see them all the time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Penguin

      You can even sometimes see them surfing at the beach :) (although what they're actually doing is chasing schools of bait fish inside the waves)

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    3. Re:This is the future.. by davidphogan74 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Great link. The geek in me of course loved seeing:

      Linus Torvalds, the original creator of Linux (a popular operating system kernel), was once bitten by a Little Penguin while on holiday in Australia. Reportedly, this encounter encouraged Torvalds to select Tux as the official Linux mascot.[12]

      Fuck me. After those first few posts /. went full circle there, I think.

    4. Re:This is the future.. by dargaud · · Score: 4, Funny

      I've seen plenty of penguins and even been bitten by one: came out behind me as I was chatting with a friend, decided I was in _his_ path and bite me on the knee tendon while hitting me very hard with his bony flippers. I jumped 10 feet in the air. He ended up as a football before I could think about it. I had a limp for a week but he just walked away (fat is very good protection...)

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      Non-Linux Penguins ?
  4. The obvious question by mrbene · · Score: 3, Funny

    Which distro do they run?

    1. Re:The obvious question by Alan426 · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Just smile and waive, boys. Smile and waive."

  5. New "stealth" predator drone? by CompassIIDX · · Score: 5, Funny

    while larger helium-filled designs can "swim" through the air...

    WTF?

    Army Guy: "Hey kids, see the cute penguin?!"

    Youngster: "But, mister, why is it flying around, shooting lasers out of its eyes at those Muslims?!"

    Army Guy: "Penguins do that sometimes! ...Run along now."

  6. Thought this story was about RMS by syousef · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm so disappointed! We haven't had a story about Stallman for ages now!

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  7. The year of... by elite1789 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Robotic Penguins? Skip the desktop -- 2009 will be the year of the Linux Apocalypse.

  8. Pedantry: Penguins don't paddle by interactive_civilian · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Paddling is drag-based propulsion (i.e. the animal uses the drag from moving a paddle in the opposite direction to produce thrust in the direction they are moving). Paddling is not very efficient because it requires a recovery phase to reset the paddle. This is how most quadrupeds, such as muskrats, polar bears, even humans, swim.

    Penguins use lift-based propulsion from pectoral oscillation, or literally flapping their wings, just like the birds that they are. They generate thrust from the forward component of the lift produced by their wings depending on the angle of attack. This is much more efficient, as there is no recovery phase and so thrust can be produced almost constantly. This is how penguins (both real and the robots) and sea lions swim. Seals, whales, and dolphins use the same type of propulsion, but use their flukes or rear flippers instead of their pectoral flippers.

    Just to be pedantic, but for some reason, the idea of penguins paddling bothers me. :-/

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