Japanese Robot Has a Kick!

[Clyde]

Since, this thing relies on remote control, if they used a stronger one, could you take control of it? Anyhow, that Asimo robot walking up stairs seems more impressive to me, in a fear our metallic overlords kind of way.

 

[AceDiamond]

For a moment I was hoping it would be this kick

But then again that probably isn't too far off if this guy is serious about building a full-size Gundam. Though I have a lot of misgivings about that idea. Namely in that a full-size Gundam is 18 meters tall and it would make far more sense to build mecha that are only a couple stories tall (Battlemech size or Wanzer size), and work up from there.

 

[raxer92]

Japanese Robot Has a Kick!

A Japanese inventor has created a robot that can play soccer, albeit not very well.


Hajime 33 is a weird looking machine, standing over six feet tall but weighing in at a mere 44lbs, with a least a couple of pounds of that being eyebrow. What's notable about the battery-operated, remote controlled giant, created by Japanese inventor Hajime Sakamoto, is that he can walk around and kick a ball.

As you can see from the video, Hajime 33 isn't the most accomplished soccer player in the world, and it's going to be a long time before the Robo-Soccer World Cup is on TV, but bipedal robots are notoriously tricky to make work, so building one that can stand on one foot and kick a ball, as well as walk and bow, is actually quite significant.

Sakamoto says that he will apply what he's learnt from this project, as well as the other robots he has built, to making a full-sized, working Gundam within the next ten years.

Source: Wired [http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/09/humanoid-robot-plays-soccer/]


Permalink

I believe the Eyebrows are a Gurren Laggenn Tribute, probably for the almighty manly character, i think Kamina was his name

 

[Daniel Cygnus]

I burst out laughing when I seen the robot

SAW. You SAW the robot. It's cool. Happens to everyone.

I, too, burst out laughing. I blame the wiggly eyebrows and the silly music.

 

[Satin6T]

pretty cool, but seriously someone needs to start making megas here in america
or how are the americans gonna win the mech war?

 

[John Funk]

...Logan, why am I a tag in this news post?

For a moment I was hoping it would be this kick

But then again that probably isn't too far off if this guy is serious about building a full-size Gundam. Though I have a lot of misgivings about that idea. Namely in that a full-size Gundam is 40 meters tall and it would make far more sense to build mecha that are only a couple stories tall (Battlemech size or lower)

18 meters, actually. ~60 feet.

 

[ae86gamer]

That thing is awesome, but what's with the eyebrow?

 

[AceDiamond]

18 meters, actually. ~60 feet.

Is it? *checks* Wow I've been making all sorts of horrible factual errors today. I wonder where I got the 40-meter thing from. Thanks for clearing that up, appropriate fixes will be made.

 

[Aptspire]

At the start of the vid I was like "Okay! Next do a Gundam!"
at 0:44 I shat bricks XD
also

I call this a very obvious reason lol

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

Come on! Football?

Make two and "Get ready to rumble!!!"

 

[Pimppeter2]

I was laughing till the last sentance.

Then I shit myself

 

[Doug]

I find it really god damn wierd he's applying this technical know-how into building a 18 metre robot - seriously, is he planning a coup in Japan or something? Will he do battle with Godzilla?

Oh God. That's awesome. Advanced Robotics might be coming faster than we think.

Well, to be honest, that Asimo robot is more impressive; it can run, it can climb steps, and they have at least one who can learn to identify real world objects and classes of objects:

{Moving} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DMDLrsicZ8&feature=related
{Learning} http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfPkHU_36Cs

 

[Deleric]

HE WANTS TO MAKE A GUNDAM.

What a cool ************.

 

[Asciotes]

id like to see what happened if they built a bunch of those, then had the soccer players control them and play a game. That would be pretty funny.

 

[The Lost Big Boss]

Ok I am officially declaring that we are in fact going to get killed by a robot Apocalypse.

 

[Fniff]

Sakamoto says that he will apply what he's learnt from this project, as well as the other robots he has built, to making a full-sized, working Gundam within the next ten years.

You hear that, people of the world? Japan's mechas are coming to fruition and they've set a (albeit vague) deadline.

We're all fucked.

And they will kick our ass in soccer

**walks into room**

Unless you have me.

**Spy Music and screen comes up**

KIDNAP A FOOTBALL ROBOT!

 

[Dioxide20]

I bet it wouldn't twitch so much if it used an Xbox controller.... just saying

lol

That's pretty cool, although why would you need a 6ft tall robot? Why not just make a more average size one that walks much more stable then that one?

 

[Lazzi]

"Let's Go, 33"? Sounds like a line from a mecha anime.


Also, those eyebrows add 5 miles per hour to his speed.

They're actuly sails used to capture wind energy used to propell in foward at cripplingly low speeds.

 

[KDR_11k]

it's going to be a long time before the Robo-Soccer World Cup is on TV

Are you sure noone ever put this [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robocup] on TV?

 

[Logan Westbrook]

...Logan, why am I a tag in this news post?

You know why John, you know why...