DIY 18-ft.-High Robotic Exoskeleton

Hacx sends along a piece from PopSci that begins "Carlos Owens had handled all kinds of machines as an army mechanic, but he always dreamed of using those skills for one project: his own 'mecha,' a giant metal robot that could mirror the movements of its human pilot. Owens, 31, began building an 18-foot-tall, one-ton prototype at his home in Wasilla, Alaska, in 2004. Working without blueprints, he first built a full-scale model out of wood. Moving on to steel, he had to devise a hydraulics system that would provide precisely the right leverage and range of movement. He settled on a complex network of cables and hydraulic cylinders that can make the mecha raise its arms, bend its knees, and even do a sit-up. ... He foresees mechas having uses in the military and the construction industry, but acknowledges that right now they're best suited to entertainment. The first application he has in mind: mecha-vs.-mecha battles, demolition-derby style."

Comments

Mecha Palin!

[SoupIsGood Food]

Wasila, Alaska? The killer app for this device is to put a set of high-heels on it and have it run as the GOP Veep candidate in 2012 - all puny mortals bow down before Mecha Palin, or be crushed!

Only the Obamabot can save us!

Re:Too big.

[sakdoctor]

Unfortunately, years arguing on the internet have left your muscles too weak to function.

You'd need some sort of mechanised exoskeleton before thinking about venturing outside.

Red eyes!!

[tikram]

It has red eyes! It means it's a decepticon! RUN FOR YOU LIVES!!!!!!!!!

I hope he's limited its movement range..

[cheros]

If he hasn't built in any restrictions I predict a posthumous Darwin Award the moment the guy tries to absently scratch his nuts :-)

Re:Damnit, that looks awesome. I want a video of i

[Fred_A]

He's probably mad a little progress since then.

Absolutely. He used to be a raving lunatic.
Another few years and he should be quite sane.

(ps: use commas, your sentences are hard to read)

Re:Too big.

[Bluesman]

Maybe we could have one with large treads on it so that it could cover large distances quickly, and strong plating and explosive armor so that it would be immune to all but the largest projectile. And why stop at one operator? It could be large enough to hold a small crew of people who could operate the machine as a team, and possibly provide some sort of situational awareness/intelligence function.

All you'd need then is a turret with a large cannon on it and you'd have the perfect military land robot.