Gizmodo
Sure, it's only a model of a dual-saw-wielding giant robot, but we can't help but to admire one man's vision of an autonomous future of fighting forest fires. The Forest Fire "Clear Cut" Robot (model) has 600 parts and took its creator 6 months to complete. What it represents is a tool prepared to slice and dice trees as necessary to stop the spread of flames in fictional, wilderness settings. Because remember, only you (and gigantic, badass robots with blades bigger than your body) can prevent forest fires. But it's mostly on the robots at this point, honestly. Here's a bonus pic:
[designer via bbgadgets][Additional design completed by Daniel Shankland II]
Comments
While I can see great uses for this, especially in wildfire prone areas, it looks like something right out of a nightmare.
Oh yeah, what could possibly go wrong with that plan.
Our defense against creepy aliens that land in the middle of the woods
...pass that sh!t and let others take a hit of whatever you is smokin', maaaan!
So, he slices down a tree in the forest, but then is totally incapable of moving it, thus gaining absolutely nothing.
Well planned, robo-modeller. Well-planned.
I know of a group who's working to make this (or something like it) a reality.
Check out Mechanized Propulsion Systems:
MechaPS.com
Trees. right
Z O M |
_______3 I E S_______
totally ineffectual. Keep the saws, toss the rest. Put saws on a spider robot body for better mobility/lower center of gravity, add a couple of robo-pincers to carry the fallen trees away and you might have something there.
Just in time for the Clan invasion of the Inner Sphere.
wouldnt wanna mess with that thing if its ever made...
especially since its got glowing nipples.
Am I the only one who assumed this was an excuse to model a badass robot, and WASN'T actually intended to represent any sort of possible wildfire fighting future?
I wonder how good this is at cutting a BMW in half. Look out Daniel Craig...
"Forest Fires" is just code for Inner City Crime.
This robot doesn't look like it could navigate very well in thick vegetation. And what are those? Robo-toes?
needs a couple more manipulator arms and it'd be cool.
Okay so 'check' on the HUGE robot with saw hands. Can we get a TINY robot with saw hands for trimming nose hairs?
kinda reminds me of ED-209 from robocop, but with saws and nipples
I could see this working as Mech rather than a robot. Put a hooman in the head there controlling it all and I would feel safer.
@Pope John Peeps II:
I think the point of cutting down the trees is to stop the flames from hopping from treetop to treetop. Sure, the fire will burn on the forest floor, but it's advance is slowed enough for intervention by other means.
I have loved Patlabor and Gundam and stuff like that since I was a kid, and for all the military themes those shows had, all the tech designs coming out in reality along the "Mecha" line are for saving lives and property instead.
I only saw 1 real mech type vehicle so far not designed for rescue and it is that John Deere logging "insect" walker. (Aside from the 1950's G.E. "Handyman" forklift exoskeleton, more of a vehicle considering it's size.)
@BasicBlack: "its" dammit "its"!
Umm... I live in San Diego and therefore know a little bit about wildfires and- We don't have lots of forests. In the eastern part of the county where the fires typically start, it's mostly brush because it's desert.
On the other hand, in western PA where I grew up we have lots of forests, but not lots of wildfires. What we really need here in SoCal is a giant bulldozing robot, combined with a giant water throwing robot. And, you know, water.
It's not as glamorous, and won't make anyone's geeky heart skip a beat, but all you really need is a big RC bulldozer with a couple video cameras...
*BZZZT!* Goliath online.
^_^
6 months? Wouldn't it have been easier to just glue a couple saw blades on a Robosapien? Then it would have moved too.
Artificial intelligence, immunity to fire, hulking size, and giant buzzsaws - what could possibly go wrong?
Dammit , I cant think of a Death Star line to suit......................Oh yea..you,ll need a robot.....the fire is hot
BREAKING NEWS: Firefighter Robot pilot goes on rampage, thousands slaughtered.
Although, I'd imagine such a machine would have a remote shut down sequence to avoid that, right?
I think the goblins of venture mining company (they operate out of Stranglethorn Vale) have the prior art and that one.
@pyrokotik: Yeah...look at that. It's got flash light nipples.
Still, this thing is way too cool looking to ever be useful.
Woot its like a fire fighting ED109!
"This is a no fire area. Stop burning now.
You have 10 seconds to comply!"
Personally, I thought that last picture of Mr. Tiny Man's butt really brought it all together.
oh, and the eyes should be telescopes, no, microscopes, no gyroscopes...uh, can you get back to me?
@rsquared: Yeah, a tracked vehicle w/a blade up front could actually cut and clear a fire break better than this could. Besides, given the scale, the teeth of the blades are far enough apart that a trunk could fit in the groove, which would produce great stresses on our robotic overlords bodies.
@Pope John Peeps II: If he slices a tree down in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does he dream of electric shrubbery?
I like the light up nipples...
I like the helmet and vest the little guy is wearing. That way, when the blade flys off...it doesn't hurt so bad.
It's got chicken legs! (/GIR)
@Pope John Peeps II: If you follow the source link there are more pictures to show that the robot does indeed have manipulators. They rotate behind the back of the robot. Quite an elegant design.
@BasicBlack:
Yeah, what you said...
(beat me to it, dang it!)
But....does it play DOOM?
On his days off, 'Buzzsaw' (as he likes to be known) works part-time as a nanny, and often guest stars on Iron Chef.
@ParJoe: ...flash light nipples???????
I could've gone on with my day as normal... but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... you had to point out the flash light nipples.
........................THANKS!
:0 (
@ParJoe: Those aren't flashlights, their headlights.
"Hey Robot, nice headlights!!!!" He then saws your head off.
@Git Em SteveDave: I can only assume that he forms a bond with him human pilot, explores the wonders of the forest, then when he's forced to cut down his beautiful homeland, wonders at the injustice of a universe which built him with destroying saw hands. Then he sits down and wishes he could cry.
Something like the tree threshing device from Fern Gully would be better than this. Why must it be bipedal?
@Pope John Peeps II: Does he at any point make ice sculptures for Winona Ryder?
@Kaiser-Machead: So we can escape it when it becomes self aware by running up stairs.
That being said, is it not funny how many things are defeated by stairs/ladders? I.E. Zomibies, deathmobiles, robots, etc....
great work.
I don't think there's enough space on the back of the robot hands for the size of a motor that would be needed to spin those massive blades. Some way to cool the blade is also needed. I think a chainsaw based cutter would be more practical, although harder to make a scale model.
Am I one of the few people who glanced at the first picture and thought it was real?
@MadModderX: Unless you're smurfing Gizmodosmurf.com from the smurf village, yes.
For the love of god don't give this robot AI.