I wonder if I can get one for my birthday...

A Japanese company unveiled a 3.5-metre (11.55-foot) tall robot that can forage its way through a heap of debris as a trailblazer for rescue workers following a disaster such as an earthquake.


AFP Photo



The five-tonne T-52 Enryu (literally "rescue dragon") is hydraulically operated and equipped with two arms ending in pincer "hands" that can grasp and remove obstacles to help rescuers reach people trapped under rubble.


Each arm is capable of lifting 500 kilogrammes (1,100 pounds) and when they are fully extended the two pincers are 10 metres (33 feet) apart.


The prototype robot was developed by Tmsuk, a company based in the southwestern Japan city of Kita-Kyushu, in cooperation with fire-department officials and university researchers.


The company aims to develop a commercial model by the end of the year.


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20040325/capt.sge.bjn04.250304143706.photo00.default-384x274.jpg

Too bad it isn't bigger, but I'd still like to get one.

Yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1509&u=/afp/20040325/tc_afp/japan_technology_robot_040325143741&printer=1)

Does it transform into a bulldozer or something cool like that?

Is it JUST mechanical or does it have revolutionary programming to back it all up? If it could work autonamously, that would be cool. Still, "rescue dragon"? The Japanese SUCK at interpersonal relations! If I'm crushed under a tree and see this thing crashing through the forest in my general direction, I'd gnaw off my lower torso to get away!

I'm pretty sure that it's controlled by remote.

I want THIS! (http://www.itmedia.co.jp/lifestyle/articles/0404/02/news040.html)

A motorcycle?

:shiggy2:

You've never seen Akira before, DJ???

I've seen Akira. Is that supposed to be from that movie? Yeah, I guess it does look like the one in that one scene, but I've never been a vehicle buff.

The Akira bike is so unique that I'm susprised you didn't recognize it. I'm not a vehicle buff either, but seeing a cartoon bike come to life is very cool.

I've seen some pics before of a real bike that looks like the one from Akira, very cool.

... I haven't seen Akira...

:shake:

Read the manga, it's better.

I should get Ghost in the Shell sometime.

I actually found it to be horribly paced, though the writing is pretty good. I noticed that anime directors are taking huge steps in making anime in to something totally unlike film, as in proper editing methods, proper structuring and scene orientation. It has a fresh feeling to it (Ghost in the Shell) and to me, is almost a sandwich of a few different animes put together. But in the end, it's a fun cyber-mystery anime.

And what's with every anime making reference to the Predator-esque cloaking? Every single bounty hunter, modern ninja, assassin, gun-for hire etc has to use it and it's getting annoying. What makes those actual people so cool is that they can do their jobs right in front of your face without you knowing it. They dont need to become invisible, if that tech existed; EVERYONE could be the world's greatest assassin! The Predator can use it, Joanna can do it for a few minutes (as long as she doesn't fire a gun) and Kevin Bacon died using it and Claude Rains brought it to a visual life for the first time in 1933 and i'm even okay with Grey Fox and Otocon using it but DAMMIT, it ends here! It ends NOW! Do you here me anime writers!? No more invisible killers! make them turn in to dark vile shadows, or angelic water, or luminescent fog (but no pirates or i'll kill you with my John Carpenter collection!), or flames or animals or liqued metal that can restructure itself in to different things, I dont care! ANYTHING except INVISIBILITY! I'LL BE WATCHING YOU, ANIME WRITERS. DONT MAKE ME GET THE BELT OUT.

FUCK

docter octopus.

:robot: