Castrol builds freakishly large robot to kick a soccer ball, break legs of silhouette defenders

Soccer players are generally such crybabies that we can understand why you'd want to replace them with robots, and sometimes that's done with great success. We don't think we'll be seeing this latest player on the pitch anytime soon, though. It's something of an exhibition robot, a creation sponsored by Castrol to beat the legendary leg of Cristiano Ronaldo, who can kick the ball at 130km/h. This bot from Castrol can top 200km/h, which is mighty impressive -- until you see the size of it. We're pretty sure we saw limos smaller than this out in Vegas, and we're positive that even they are more useful than this thing. Still, check out the video after the break, and watch that plywood defender's leg go flying.

[BrianH Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:48AM]

nothing like good ol' overkill

[geekthree Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:52AM]

Its the stig!

[Davin Black Posted Jan 26th 2010 1:05PM]

@DarkElfa Others say, he wept tears of petrol when Beckham went to play US pro soccer.

[iwasalive Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:51PM]

@DarkElfa
it looks more like a oversize golf robot than a soccer robot =S

[amirmah Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:54AM]

sup wid dat engadget ?!

[ChiLaM Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:55AM]

Maybe Catapiller will scrap a machine that could slam dunk...

[medicalsounds Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:57AM]

"Soccer players are generally such crybabies" That was a stupid comment...

How about those American Football players with bunch of pads on? Play like a man like rugby no padsssssssss!!!!

[medicalsounds Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:01AM]

@medicalsounds I guess I was a little harsh... cool machine :P

[TimStevens Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:12AM]

@medicalsounds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioyt2zzm530

[Mareshalu Posted Jan 26th 2010 1:12PM]

@medicalsounds
Better dive than this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJj90YxWt1U

[jordanbiffle Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:02AM]

Now thats thinkin' with your dipstick Jimmy.

[Stephers Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:03AM]

When dealing with your robotic overloards remember to wear shin-guards.

[devitus Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:07AM]

No kicker needed in American football anymore.

[Algernon000 Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:07AM]

Awesome! I want a match with 22 of those things! XD

http://www.otrascosas.com

[SewerShark Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:11AM]

And what is the point of it? I just want to understand, Its a helluva big machine with its sole purpose it to kick a ball...You coul make the same effect with a small ballista or a trebuchet and it would be smaller and it would not require any fuel.

[enhacore Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:15AM]

Hey, soccer players are no crybabies. Yes, the game has rules, and some of these rules call for a penalty when the player is intentionally hit. And yes some player try to fake it. But if you play soccer you know the game can get physical. The big questions is, how many people that watch American football actually play football? More "regular" folks play soccer than any other sport. You can play it anywhere with anybody, anytime. I would rather play a sport than just watch it on TV.

[ProfKOS Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:29AM]

@enhacore
Methinks he doth protest too much.

[kylemullaney Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:17AM]

WHY WHY WHY

[Brokinarrow Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:21AM]

@kylemullaney WHY NOT WHY NOT WHY NOT

[Randers Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:19AM]

cause soccer balls are always just sitting around on the top of cones during a match....perfect.

[Sunil Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:26AM]

Hey this robot eoul make great All Terrain Vehicle...

[archkron Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:42AM]

At least it's not about the damn tablet...

[Samurai Jack Posted Jan 26th 2010 11:48AM]

Tachikoma prototype? Now if it only had a brain...

[SolidSnake Posted Jan 26th 2010 6:49PM]

@Samurai Jack
They certainly didn't act like they had brains.... lol

[FrankLucas Posted Jan 26th 2010 12:13PM]

CR7 wins!

[FrankLucas Posted Jan 26th 2010 12:15PM]

@Kbalz
you dont know what you speak....

[milhaus Posted Jan 26th 2010 12:33PM]

So maybe I am just getting hung up on semantics, but are we calling every purpose built machine now a robot? Maybe I'm missing something but what makes this thing a robot?

[mianmian Posted Jan 26th 2010 12:43PM]

I think the robot is not just simply playing golf.
You should notice the ball avoided the "players" that blocks the door.
To kick the ball to the desire target with great accuracy should be the purpose.

[Sprngr Posted Jan 26th 2010 1:42PM]

OK, now put a golf ball in front of it. Let's see what happens...how far it goes...

[Arkv2 Posted Jan 26th 2010 3:54PM]

Gorgeous!

[Epyon Posted Jan 26th 2010 4:04PM]

This thing looks better suited to playing Polo. Maybe that would make it an interesting sport.

[patboy2008 Posted Jan 26th 2010 4:53PM]

Falcon Kick!!!

[ewookie Posted Jan 26th 2010 4:57PM]

perhaps they could use this to launch satellites into orbit?

[CakeBalls Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:08PM]

@Kbalz yeah and the moon is made of cheese too.

[blinddance Posted Jan 27th 2010 1:28AM]

Lol I saw this live on tv (tokyo) just a few days ago. I thought it looked kinda silly tho.