Kuratas Ride-in Giant Robot
The Japanese did it again. This time they are fulfilling the dream of pretty much any robotic geek: to have your own functional giant Battle Mech that can be piloted by a grown adult and used to cruise through the city and defeat all your arch-enemies.
Suidobashi heavy industry developed the Kuratas, the first giant functional robot. It stands 4 meters tall, features a plethora of weapons, and can be driven around thanks to its diesel engine. See the video below for more details about the bot (complete with its own cheesy song).
Before you start freaking out and panicking about the potential for apocalyptic robot warfare, you will be pleased to know that all the weapons are not harmful (BBs and water rockets) and are designed just for play, not to actually obliterate humans. This would not be a Japanese invention if it did not have at least one strange feature, and this robot is no exception; the weapons feature an auto-targeting system (which seems convenient and logical) and a “smile trigger”. To be clear, the weapons are triggered by the pilot’s smile. See the video below for a demonstration of this and other features.
By now you probably want to get your hands on this robot. In this case, you will be happy to know that is is for sale on the manufacturer’s website for approximately 1.5 M$ (depending on the options you choose). If you think this is high price for a giant toy, you might be right, but keep in mind that it can include a cup holder in the cockpit and a leather seat.
Via Robot Snob.
Edwin
Wow this robot looks amazing. It seems a bit slow and clunky, but its a great start to what could one day be faster, cheaper and more nimble robots.