Crab Fu's Flapper fish bot creeps us the hell out
By Paul Miller 
posted Jul 14th 2008 11:46AM
posted Jul 14th 2008 11:46AM
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
That noise reminds me of some kind of creepo cricket or something.
You know that thing that crawls into Keanu Reeve's belly button in the Matrix. Yeah, there it is.
Highest Ranked.
I can't really say I'm looking forward to any kind of welcoming of any kind of aquatic, robotic overlords.
Throw some water-proof gear on it and let's see that bad boy swim!
Does that picture remind anyone else of the music video for Autechre's "Second Bad Vilbel"?
I don't think anyone has seen that video.
Who?
I really hope that controller has some sort of macro or scripting function otherwise getting that thing to swim very far in an organized fashion would seem to be a bit of a pain in the ass.
Good old fashion nightmare fuel right there.
Attach a laser beam to its head
FTW!
but will it bl...never mind
We need a synergy of the paradigm and the solution-oriented metrics. The incremental win-win, Gen-X customer-centric, value-added bonus is, of course, at the end of the day, outside of the box.
-some robots are scary... : )
Smack it in the head with a paddle, that usually works for me.
Big Mouth Billy Bass - 2008 Edition
That's awesome. I'd love to see if it can swim. But obviously it would need some kind of robotic ballast control in order to adjust its flotation.
Isn't the term "(ro)bot" used a little too loosely here? As far as i can see, this is just a "remote controlled mechanical fish". I would assume a robot has to have at least some kind of capacity to move autonomously.
All those tired phrases are vastly outweighed by complaining comments. I feel bad for Engadget. No matter what they do, they can never satisfy everyone.
I'm not really sure what makes that mechanical jittery noise when he's not pressing the buttons, but it makes the bot all that much more creepy.
I just loved the analogy that Paul used.
very Uncanny Valley...some robots get into that creep zone.
Makes me want to hit it with a sledge hammer to put the poor lil' fella outta his misery. :(
But can it play doom?
I mean swim under water?
A goldfish that doesn't die? Idk, but something about seein a real pirahana is better to me etc. Altought having these in restaurants or museums would be neat.
You see all them there ads on the top and sides of the page? What's that equate to, $15, $20k per month?
Don't pity Engadget too much.
ALRIGHT we get it it looks like a fish. Now, be a good boy and put some rubber on it, add an air bladder and PUT IT IN THE FUCKING WATER!
really cool though despite my attitude.
The writing used to be funny, maybe because the gags were new, but probably because it was just better. Now it's bad. Lots of shtick, little information, poor command of science and a mockery of it (in a tech blog!), and poor command of English as well. I skim through it faster and faster, spending less and less time here. Watch out Engadget, you're losing us.
Well the bot is actually kinda nice... can right itself... is very simple and can move ok enough...