Son of Lemur: Lemur IIb rock climbing robot

NASA has been working a while now on the Lemur, their rock climbing spider-bot, over at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Those guys are the same friendly chaps that built the most recent Mars destroyers of evidence that Martians exist rovers. The new Lemur IIb is now capable of finding its own way up a mountain by holding steady with three limbs while feeling for a good hold with the fourth. They're thinking of adding drills to each limb, which, along with being totally boss, could help with creating better footholds for climbing. Too bad this thing probably won't make it up to the red planet for another 10 years or so.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[Drewsef @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

Why is there a clock on it?

[Jimmy C @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

This clockbot is perfect for your time-conscious mountaineer on the go...

[eric @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

It certainly looks like a clock, but it is most likely an antena

[Lee N @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

Do you think it serves coffee too?

[Theron @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

it would be so emensly cool, if you didn't have to wind it up to make it work :P

[John P. @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

I hope they make "Bender" style robots next...

[Alex C. @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

The clock is probably to time it climbing the wall.

[mdc @ Dec 19th 2005 2:32AM]

i want to go for a bouldering session with this thing :D