Robots that rescue folks in disaster areas or other perilous situations aren't exactly a
new idea, but this bot set to go into service in Yokohama certainly takes a more unique, and slightly more terrifying approach to the matter than usual. Apparently, the seemingly unnamed robot can not only carry a 110 kilogram person over difficult terrain with ease, but monitor the occupant's vital signs as well, although complete details on that, and any other technical details are a bit hard to come by at the moment. As with most such robots, however, this one's apparently not completely autonomous, with it packing some infrared cameras to allow its operator to locate folks even in conditions with poor visability. No word if it'll also be offering itself up as a capsule hotel in its days off.
posted Mar 2nd 2009 3:58AM
By "poor visability," I'm assuming you are talking export rights.
poor spellability
I don't see a problem here. People without visas are usually harder to find (they're all hiding, doh), hence the need of infrared cameras.
poor visibility is probably the wrong phrase. Using infrared cameras in a burning building? Whew, say good-bye to your retinas.
Somebody should probably point this out to them before they put the robots in action.
hes stuck in the robots vagina.
@ KarlW
Infrared works for detecting objects in low-light situations. If you RTA (the link, not engadget's summary) you'd understand this vehicle's purpose: earthquake victim recovery. It's not going into burning buildings, so there is little risk of burning retinas by staring at a fire with a heat-sensitive camera.
Oh, cool! A mobile crematorium and casket combined. Put some coins on that man's eyes.
Oh no that robot is eating that man alive!
Wait a minute, they could use that to transport evil zombies into the fires of hell!
Looks like one of those bread toasters from Quizno's...
One big Human oven from the inside!
Nazi Germany Krupps Oven on tank treads comes to mind when I see that photograph.
For God's sake, pray the victim placs his/her hands on his/her chest for evacuation purposes...
Might take some twisting if the arms are broken but it should be possible eh.
and this is why the japanese reign as the weirdest people on the planet..
i thought that was because of their game shows
That robot has tracks on the top, presumably so it can keep on keepin' on when it falls upside down...
Sucks to be the critically injured guy inside...
The top tracks are for squeezing under concrete elements.
And the space between tracks on either side is for wrecking the crisis victim's day by crushing and removing an arm under the guise of helping.
Can only fit 5'5 persons inside.. 6 foot and your head pokes out and gets poked by crap.
Not an issue in Japan.
You would need to use KY grease to remove an American from one of those.
I would hope they line the cabin with some kind of fire-proof cloth, so you're not getting 2nd degree burns from the presumably hot metal in a fire situation.
Again (a couple of people have missed this) this vehicle is not for situations that involve fires. When earthquakes happen, the fire department is in charge of recovery. This vehicle is for earthquake victim recovery, not for going into burning buildings. So the metal box won't get hot, just banged up...
That pic screams caption contest.
Those crazy Japanese will sleep anywhere...
Human pez dispenser...
This 400-sq. in apartment in Tokyo's fashionable Ebiyu district recently sold for $900,000US, down 50% from its high during the early-2000s real estate bubble.
LMAO LOOK AT HIS FACE LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ROR
raff out roud!
Looks like he's been rolling in BBQ.
Looks like a hybrid WALL-E-style cube compactor/mobile cremation machine. Not good for mankind.
it looks like a giant lego brick
Fuggetabauty, I'll take my chances outside that thing , no matter how injured I might be or how critical the situation around me.
Are injured and/or trapped people supposed to haul themselves into this contraption by themselves?
Can't wait to see the pick-up version of this for the US market
Might be better (though even more unnerving) if the 'drawer' was an interchangeable, standard morgue tray, rather than what looks like a filing cabinet drawer with the front hacked off.
Would certainly save time further down the line.
"Next!"
lol one body, one tray. If DOA, just load up a new, empty "cartridge" and send it back in
Every time a see a japanese product on Engadget, below i see stupid american comment making fun of japanese products, pathetic. i remember someone told me america is the most racist place on earth, and hes right.
I bet you if this product was made by an "American" company, you would NOT make fun of it.
WARNING! WARNING!
CHIP-ON-SHOULDER ALERT!
Got nothing to do with it being Japanese.
And I'm not American (thankfully).
I just think it's a hot metal coffin on tracks.
Apparently you don't read engadget that much. We make fun of EVERYTHING here, no matter which country it came from.
I am a GAIJIN and PROUD of it!!!!!
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gaijin&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=
They should be expecting a call from the producers of 'Prototype This'.
Looks like a mobile cremation machine..
Looks cool
Just like ur avatar......
That looks absolutely terrifying.
I'm sorry but i'll take my changes with the window or whatnot. Hopefully they'll have a radio in it so when/if it gets stuck they can tell you to get out, if theres room to slide your file cabinet drawer out, instead of sitting there twidling your thumbs while it melts around you.
I like the prototype this guys one better.
Darwin strikes again, too fat to fit? Meh, you can walk. I like this....
Noooo! People, don't you understand! This is the first step in the inevitable uprising! They are learning how to devour our flesh and use it as a source of energy. This has to be stopped!
Man, you just had a wall fall on your legs, crushing them a roof crushing your arm and your in excruciating pain but you have to be carted out on a metal drawer? They could at least throw some cushion on in that drawer thing, come on now!
...although the human-consuming power system remains a topic of controversy.
Thunderbirds had this kind of stuff 40 years ago...
Yokohama...mitsubishi...sashimiiiii
Vore fetishists would probably find this useful as a sex toy.
>< I think I just squicked my own mind...
It's all good until that thing gets going and goes too fast into a corner. I don't see much padding on that.
OM NOM NOM NOM
It is impossible for one thing to be more unique than another. You need to study your grammar... son! (Tracy Morgan)
For my next trick, I will saw a man in half!
yeah... cause thats what you need to escape a fire... to be cooked in a robotic toaster on treads! (seriously, if you crawled in that thing to escape a blaze, the metal box around you would probably get pretty hot and suffocating!)
INSERT HUMAN
INSERT HUMAN
INSERT HUMAN
I/O ERROR
COMPRESSING...
http://www.google.com/search?q=visability
Did you mean: visibility