Wall-climbing robot concept sprays graffiti, bad influences

We've already seen cities turn to technology to combat graffiti, but it looks like the tables could one day be turned, at least if designer Stefan Rechsteiner has his way. As you can see above, his so-called "Couleur sur l'Objet" robot concept would be able to climb walls (relying on suction, it seems), leaving a trail of graffiti behind it. That would apparently be entirely done using software to plot out its course ahead of time, although we're sure it could also be rigged with a remote control to allow for a little freestyle spraying. Of course, the chances of anyone actually releasing such a bot are pretty slim (at least for graffiti-ing purposes), although there's nothing stopping you from taking a certain DIY-friendly solution and trying to build your own.

[Andy B. @ Mar 7th 2008 1:45PM]

Couldn't this also be used to combat graffiti on painted walls? I'm sure iRobot is gonna come out with a wall cleaner/scrubber (Wallba?)? :-P

[JAmerican @ Mar 7th 2008 1:53PM]

This is only the beginning of Robot Wars!

[Mr. Vage @ Mar 7th 2008 4:15PM]

Yeah, it'll be the Wallba Battle Bot 110 with just a simple hammer attachment. The 120 model will be equipped with a spike covered roller while the 260 will have a machine gun. All 400 series models will be equipped with heat seeking missiles.

[Shadyman @ Mar 8th 2008 6:18PM]

A robot just like the one seen, rigged with all grey paint.

[Austin @ Mar 7th 2008 1:54PM]

Is it just a single line of spray? What I'd like to see is one that is modded with a laserjet slider so you can print wikipedia pages onto walls for the continual education of society.

[Rocketboy @ Mar 7th 2008 1:54PM]

Ahh, such a wonderful use of technology to draw on things that are not yours.

[ugg.tryptophan @ Mar 7th 2008 10:10PM]

not all graffiti is done without the building owners consent, seeing that this guy is a designer theres no need to tag illegally, he probably does work in/on urban clothing stores

[Rocketboy @ Mar 9th 2008 5:42PM]

Then it's not really graffiti, then is it?

[ugg.tryptophan @ Mar 12th 2008 5:08AM]

by definition graffiti is anything written on wall, making it the oldest style of art

[Only morons take this seriously. @ Mar 7th 2008 2:00PM]

is it me, or is that dude's pants like a foot lower than his ass? or maybe his ass is attached to the back of his knees?

[Toadlet @ Mar 7th 2008 2:14PM]

Stop staring at his ass...

[CraigJ @ Mar 7th 2008 2:13PM]

some asshole, er sorry, I meant to say some misguided youth with self esteem issues and most likely a troubled home life, went on a graffiti binge in our neighborhood in the last couple of days. I'd really like to have one of these 'bots, so I can smack him upside his head with it... Looks like it's about the right heft to get the message across.

[jared @ Mar 7th 2008 4:51PM]

I couldn't agree more. We're going through a bout of graffiti here also and it's gotten really old really fast. I'd love to find where these little bastards live and thank their worthless family for raising these a-holes with some nice graffiti of my own doing on/in their property.

Fortunately this douchebag's er creative youth's "invention" (which by the way has already been invented, look for wall painting robots) will take substantially longer to "tag". So hopefully there will be a much better chance at catching him in the act.

[John P @ Mar 7th 2008 2:41PM]

Two days from now on Engadget: "Wii-remote hacked to control graffiti robot"

[CB @ Mar 7th 2008 2:44PM]

Graffiti bot? That's something I would have never thought of.

[randy @ Mar 8th 2008 1:40AM]

Wrong. ALL Graffiti is done without the owner's consent; that's what makes it graffiti. Graffiti is disgusting. It is vandalism. ALL graffiti is ugly and the same. If lived in a graffiti-riddled area, I'd pelt these thugs with feces.

[ugg.tryptophan @ Mar 12th 2008 5:08AM]

graffiti is anything written on wall, so there are numerous examples of different kinds graffiti that are even considered high art, such as Keith Haring (who was hired to paint and had a successful career like many legal graffiti artists), and some that is not so high art like the kids who spray paint the f-word on fences

[JayKeaton @ Mar 8th 2008 6:35PM]

Jajaja! Reminds me of Demolition Man, the movie about the guy being sent into the future. In the future they have automatic graffiti machines, and they even have stupidly dangerous graffiti erasing machines!

[MG @ Mar 18th 2008 5:48PM]

As a taxpayer I see nothing wrong with painting on publicly owned spaces. We own them not the goverment. Graffiti was started by kids for kids. Not to metion Aerosol Art is the biggest art movement in the history of the world. What started in the Bronx has now infested every corner of the Earth. Kinda tough to stop a moving train with 40 years of momentum!