New legs, Japan, new legs!
By Ryan Block 
posted Apr 26th 2006 9:49AM
posted Apr 26th 2006 9:49AM
posted Apr 26th 2006 9:49AM
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"Look Ma! No legs!"
Hahaha nice! I want that thing. Just obf of the coolest robot I ever seen :D
It's got the cool factor and all but honestly, if they get it to the point where someone who actually can't walk better on their own can mount the thing AND it can climb stairs (IE - can tackle more difficult terrain than a wheel-chair) then maybe it'll be a success. Until then, I'm going to have to vote NO on this invention.
Props on the Lieutenant Dan quote
Is it just me or does the dude driving that thing look like a robot himself?
Not ready for prime time yet, IMO, but something that could inspire geniuses the world over.
Another step toward Mech warfare!
The destruction of our future will be so cool! w00t!
*Pweew!* *Pweew-Pweew!* (Starwars laser being shot)
Let's not forget the fact that there's (what looks like) a power cord coming off of that beastie. Fat load of good it'll do unless it's got an internal power supply.
I for one...ah, fuck it.
Fat good this thing will do. No internal power, poor mechanics anytime you want to climb a stair, probably slow as you-know-what.
F for design.
F for effort.
I have a better idea. GET AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR.
What a waste of money.
forget the legs... how do i get a job at engadget?
Has humanity learned nothing from 'Wallace & Gromit in The Wrong Trousers'?
Video of the WL-16RIII walkbot in action
http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/sayonara_segway_the_wl-16riii_walkbot_is_here.php
Gotta love the tether leading off the frame... I guess it's not running on batteries yet!
unreal mccoy...we are on the same page...
We are so close to becoming brains in a tank its not even funny!! :p
One who might have use for a robot like this may be the Pope. At least when he gets older :)
The article forgot to mention the student woouldn't have made this invention possible without the monetary and manufacturing colaboration of Matsushita Electric Co.
Whether this thing works or not, you've got to admit that Japan seems to constantly be developing the best robots. They're all over the manufacturing robots, they've developed robot "pets," and now these things. Cool!
Isn't it a trite bulky? I would kinda like to have something that could fit into the trunk of my car(and could climb out by itself!).
"it could take another five years before the robot can be used by the elderly. At present, the device is slow and needs modifications to carry heavy loads" != this device will function as shown and will undergo radical changes
Oh, I'm sorry. Nevermind. ZOMG horrible design!!1! I did better with Legos LOLOL WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME
This is clearly not for handicapped people, but more along the lines of making Japanese taller. If you use measure the length of his legs from hip, and then measure distance from ass to ground, you will clearly see this guy just added six inches on his vertical!
I visited yesterday the waseda robotics lab and this robot and it is really a cool robot. It is not simple to control a robot with a person on it with unpredictable movements and keeping the ZMP inside the support polygon.
What all of you are forgetting is the difference in accessability for the handicapped between this country and Japan. Here in america, we gots rams and inclines up the yin-yang (pardon the pun), but in Japan, everything is stairs. there are no ways for people to easily get someplace. I think that this is a good idea, but it doesnt solve the problem at its root.