The Land Walker, robot transport Gundam style

We've no idea who Sakakibara Kikai are, apart from having a vague inkling that they may have the odd screw loose here and there, but they've come up with a two-legged, person-carrying robot vehicle that looks like it'd be ready to audition for a live-action Gundam film at the drop of a hat. Admittedly the Land Walker doesn't so much walk as shimmy its 3.4-metre-tall bulk around the place (looks like there are wheels under those feet), and it tops out at a less-than-threatening 1.5 km/h, but it does have the looks, and even a pair of guns (which fire squishy balls, unfortunately). They also have some video of it, well, sliding around.

Via Slashdot Japan (Japanese)

[Jesse @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Looks more like a MechWarrior candidate than anything...

[Emmanuel Farrar @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Lets get some arms, a torso, and a head on that thing and my dream of becoming a gundam pilot will come true. Can you say,
"Freedom"

[SoulJah @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Yes! Just give them a little more time, and it will all become a reality!

[Foo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Did anyone else notice how lame this is? It isn't actually walking. It's got some wheels at the base of its feet that it's rolling on when it moves its legs. I would be impressed if it actually lifted its legs, because that would mean it could possibly handle rough terrain. But this thing isn't going to make it off linoleum.

[Richard LaRue @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

it looks nice body wise, and is an accomplishment for sure, but the one that guy in alaska is building is sure to blow it away.

[king20878 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I have to agree with Foo on this one. Imagine a robot army being stopped in its tracks by a low curb.
And from a strictly military point of view, I don't ever want to be the tallest thing on the battlefield. Can you say RPG fodder?

[mulcbone @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I agree w/king20878 re the tallest thing on the battlefield....this might be good for the battlefield, tho, but you'd have to build a robot to drive it ;)

[JC @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

It so big, it obviously fears nothing....except maybe a flight of stairs or some rocks on the ground.

Building a cool looking robot.....$275,000
Making a movie of it in action......$200
Seeing your incredible robot fall down the stairs cause it cant walk.....Priceless

[n8 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Well, nobody said it was a military prototype or anything. It's a cool project. And it did take some engineering chops to make each leg roll independently, and to get it to turn like it does.

[BenWang @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Gulp, do those guns actually work?

[nabohi @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Why not just take this, put a gatling gun on the arm and walk your way?

http://www.plustech.fi/images/ISOT/walk99big.jpg

[Geoff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

That's some huge-ass moonwalkin'... yeah, Thriller baby!

[Perry @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Sure, it's not very menacing when it's scooting around. But the video footage from the cockpit view was amazing! "Hey somebody's Toyota is parked in my spot! I will crush him!"

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Thats right out of Robocop. They were guarding the police station.

[Ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

#5 link to to Alaska robot?

[Eliste @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

No, you see... All future battles will happen at defunct roller rinks. Of course really bad disco will be playing as the theme music.

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

If the world were to degenerate into a post apocalyptic battle zone, or be invaded by aliens forcing the us last free humans into commando style resistance cells to rescue our beleaguered terran bretheren, or if our biomechanicaly engineered servants get too upity, take over, and need to be slapped back down (along with their twisted inhumane creators of course) I'd be in line for my plasma rifle, 5 o'clock shadow and nifty platoon nick name (Mutt, Digger, Ghost, Snake, etc...) right along with the rest of you. But if I got a set of keys instead of the plasma rifle (or flamethrower, backpack mini-gun, med pack with ample morphine, energy blade, etc...) I'd really prefer they started somthing more than two legs (if not treads)...

As cool as these 'all-terrain' walking vehicle concepts are, nearly all of them are TOP HEAVY.
Even if they can negotiate terrain that makes wheeled transport impractical these things will be in so much danger of fatally tripping (even at low speeds) that I sure wouldn't want to be in one of them (especially if I ever had to retreat...quickly).

Then again, I know the guy with the alaska project is specifically designing his to be bottom heavy so it will be very difficult for it to up-end. But that will undoubtedly make it slow...and just cuz I got keys instead of a plasma rifle, that doesn't mean some enemy grunt didn't get that RPG some of you are so (reasonably) concerned with...

All in all I think this and all the rest are actually very cool projects. But they've got a long way to go. Metals need to get lighter and stronger, and I think were still a long way off getting a system together that can match the sensitivty of the inner ear coupled with good old mammalian reflexes.

We're gettin' there though...

[Bollocks Mate @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

The great thing about the Landwalker website here
http://www.sakakibara-kikai.co.jp/products/other/LW.htm

is the caption on the right hand side that says (almost a direct translation here):


"The dream inside of the adult man who always wanted one of these when he was a boy, is now a reality!"


An instant classic.

Robocop here we come!

Yeay!

[Rich @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I hope that thing's locked up every night behind heavy steel doors, guarded by a squad of trigger-happy crack-shots!!!

...or withing weeks it will be STOLEN by some precocious 15-year old brat with no respect for authority and a slap-resistant face!!

[Hugo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

#17 it's been on engadget already
http://robots.engadget.com/entry/1234000383024564/

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

To: #20

Right. I read that post and had seen the story elsewhere. I just mentioned it so as to acknowledge that some ARE in fact already addressing my 'top-heavy' concern.

Thanks for pointing it out though :)

[Martin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I personally think that the Land Walker 2 sucks, it rolls. We have the tech to build a real gundam, but we are only here. It is dispicable, but at least they try. Go here for a better robot: http://www.americanantigravity.com/carlos-owens.shtml

[Martin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I personally think that the Land Walker 2 sucks, it rolls. We have the tech to build a real gundam, but we are only here. It is dispicable, but at least they try. Go here for a better robot: http://www.americanantigravity.com/carlos-owens.shtml

[Max Hodges @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

how lame that they couldn't use an algorithm for real bipedal locomotion. that sliding makes it very impractical for anything. if it could lift it's legs and balance like a Asimo or SDR4X this thing would just need a some kevlar, some real weapons and an ejector seat and it would be ready for combat. makes you wonder: why the hell are we sending people in harms way in Iraq? can't drones and bots do a lot of that work? Like hauling fuel...

[aabb @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Bleh, it really look more like one of Toriyama's crazy robo thingies than a Gundam. Can't someone build a real, non-sliding human-piloted robot? At LEAST something similar to AT-AT Walkers please!

[Nero Zeromus @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Yes, I can just imagine one of these rolling down a Baghdad street and tripping over a roadside bomb.

[America made @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

http://www.neogentronyx.com
Here's the link to the guy in alaska's project.
Way cooler, even though it doesn't completely work YET.

[Armand @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

You all are stupid this is just from now. Later on there will or could be robots like gundams.

[Ephrain @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Combine the tech behind this and those ASIMO robot things and you'll have one of the mini metal gears
from the MGS4 trailor. if they changed those guns into paintball guns instead of nerf guns that would kick ass.

[Moidock @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

One thing that everybody is forgetting is that this type of robot has only existed in cartoons.

These are only the first models from which better and improved models will be built which will work faster and better.

Right now, keep in mind that all this development costs $$$$$$$$. But I can't wait to have my own Mechwarrior type robot.....

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I think the world should get off their ass and put it in gear!!!!!!!! Wether its the military or private enterprises, i think we have had the technology for these things for a while and should work together to build lots of these things. They could help in war, space exploration, volcano research and under water research. I dont think it should be limited to cartoons or games.