Gizmodo: robocop

Amazon's Blu-ray Sale as Good an Excuse as Any to Own Robocop

Adam Frucci — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:38:46 EST

Amazon is currently having a pretty great Blu-ray sale, with titles such as Robocop and Terminator available for a mere $9.99. Come on, don't fight it. [Amazon]

LAPD Sends Robot Negotiator Into Standoff With Alleged Terrorist (Update: Man In Custody)

John Herrman — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:21:27 EDT

It took several rounds of tear gas, an 8 hour standoff—and a robot negotiator—but the LAPD has captured that guy in the Volkswagen Beetle, who they wanted for "threats" against the White House.

From the LA Times:

After repeatedly firing tear gas into the suspect's Volkswagen Beetle, officers pulled him out and placed him under arrest. His condition was not known.

Earlier post:
The standoff follows a "wild" freeway chase led by a young fellow who is wanted "as part of a federal inquiry into threats against the White House," which doesn't sound like the kind of thing you really want to be wanted for—hence, you know, the running from police.

Anyway: the bomb squad's robot has been conscripted to try to "coax the suspect out of the vehicle," possibly bringing him a cellphone and giving the police clues as to who might be in the car with him. This is pretty surreal, but I'd imagine this kind of thing—the use of robots in law enforcement, not dudes who don't like Barack Obama getting into protracted car chases—will be a common sight before too long. Good luck, fellas! (and you too, Johnny 5!)

UPDATE: Here's a live feed, from KTLA:

[KTLA]

Buy Robocop's Suit to Kiss Some Shiny Metal Ass

Mark Wilson — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:20:00 EDT

Chances are, robots will destroy us all. But would the merciless killing machines dare slay one of their own...well...half-own? We consider this Robocop suit an insurance plan.

One eBay seller claims to have an actual Robocop ~~prop~~ set of armor that was possibly worn in Robocops 2 and 3 for "stunt/distant shots." Supposedly, it's one of just five such suits ever produced.

And you know what they say, it's never too early to prepare for Halloween and/or singularity. Pick up your own possibly authentic Robocop suit for a Buy It Now price of $2,250. [eBay via TechEBlog via OhGizmo!]

New Robotic McGruff Costume Out-Scares the Analog Original

Jason Chen — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST

Reader Alex points us to this robotic McGruff costume police departments are now purchasing for their "scaring the poop out of little kids"" program. It looks about ten times as effective as the old one.

Alex says a department in Florida purchased this costume (that trenchcoat still has the tags on it, Winona Ryder style) recently. It's got a remote to blink the eyes and open the mouth, perfect for simulating an actual voice when you play back sound from an attached MP3 player.

The above image is scary enough, but we're working on getting some video of it in action. Preferably following through with that "I got your drugs right here *rude gesture*" action he's pulling off. [Thanks Alex!]

Robocop Is Back

Mark Wilson — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EDT

MGM announced its intentions to resurrect the Robocop franchise earlier this year, but you know Hollywood, it's all just meaningless backseat fellatio until we see the first promotion poster/they call us back about that role. And from the looks of it, Robocop isn't losing the 80s style...but he is getting a red Cylon-eye makeover. Oohh, maybe there's a bad Robocop? (Note: that question is rhetorical, so don't tell us in the comments if you've read the spoilers or something.)

For a walk down memory lane, here are the first 3 Robocop posters:

I actually kinda liked Robocop 3. [The Moving Picture via New Launches]

Video: BumBot, the Homeless-Fighting Robocop

matt buchanan — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:24:09 EDT

When the sun goes down in Rufus Terrill's neighborhood, criminals and vagrants swarm in like Night of the Living Homeless. You remember when we first told you about BumBot, the solution contrived by the former DoD contractor. "If it wasn't chasing criminals, it'd be fighting Osama bin Laden." Granted, it's only equipped with a deBUManizing water jet turret, but his dreams were bigger: "I wanted to put a flamethrower on it, but they wouldn't let me do that." The police shut down his Taser plans too. You saw the original pics, but now here's a video of BumBot in action, from Colbert. [Colbert]

Homemade "BumBot" Wages War on Riff-Raff

Sean Fallon — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:00:12 EST

Believe it or not, Rufus Terrill, owner of a downtown Atlanta bar named O'Terrills, has had it with the drug dealers, vandals, and other riff-raff that frequent the area around his business. So, he has done what any sane American man would do in this situation—build a robot out of a meat smoker to lay down the law. The "BumBot," as many of O'Terrills' patrons have dubbed it, is basically a meat smoker mounted onto a three-wheeled scooter. Armaments include a spotlight, loudspeaker, water cannon and an infrared camera. Plus, the whole thing is covered in rubber for protection.

When necessary, Terrill fires up the 400lb device and powers it from afar with a remote control. Using the control and a walkie-talkie, he approaches the vagrants around his bar and a local day care center to inform them via the robot's loudspeaker that they are trespassing on private property. If that doesn't do the trick, he gets rough with the water cannon. Apparently the robot has been so successful that the owner of the day care facility wishes she had three more just like it.

Naturally, some have objected to the use of the robot, saying that it is inhumane—especially towards the homeless. However, Terrill insists that his creation is intended only to fight drug dealers and other criminals. If that is true, the way I see it, if you can successfully fight crime screaming like a lunatic armed only with a squirt gun, more power to you. [AJC via Fark]