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Robot equipped with hook-like claws and pendulum can climb carpeted walls
ROCR -- the Oscillating Climbing Robot -- was developed at the University of Utah by William Provancher. Its main talent is the ability to climb carpeted walls by using its hook-like claws and is powered by a motor and a pendulum tail that wings like a grandfather clock. Designed to move efficiently and in the vein of a human rock climber, ROCR is able to climb an 8-foot carpeted wall in just about 15 seconds. The team's findings will be published in Transactions on Mechatronics this month, and while future applications include possible uses as an inspection or maintenance tool, Provancher says that in the short term, ROCR will likely be used for education or as a "really cool toy." Video is below.
ICM's Climber robot ready to ascend
International Climbing Machines' Climber certainly isn't the first of its kind, but we'll admit, this thing can handle some pretty daunting tasks. After successfully lasting through a number of field deployments this year, this wall climber is reportedly ready to take on the world in assignments such as "climbing the surfaces of C-5 / C-137 airplanes, decontaminating a vessel in a Nuclear Power Plant and removing paint from concrete walls for the Department Of Energy." Apparently, this iteration trumps many similar alternatives due to its ability to scale ceilings, rounded / rough surfaces and overcome obstacles that protrude up to 1-inch from a given surface. The rig can be controlled from the ground with a handheld remote, and attachments can be added for painting, cleaning, drilling or just capturing imagery from above. Mum's the word on pricing, but feel free to check out a couple more shots after the jump.[Via Gizmag]
Vortex's wall climbing robot peeks in windows
While not the first wall climbing machine we've come across, Vortex's VRAM Mobile Robot Platform (VMRP) machine weds ascension and undercover surveillance in fine fashion. Aimed at law enforcement tasks, military missions, and fanatical hobbyists, this clinger is remotely controlled with the capacity to add "onboard intelligence and sensors to monitor VMRP status and health." It utilizes a vortex vacuum to suction itself to vertical surfaces, and then relies on the wheels to get it movin'. Moreover, this bot was built to withstand mild weather hazards and communicate wirelessly back to the user, and its ability to wield microphones, video cameras, and proximity sensors make this the ultimate eavesdropping tool. Sadly, we've no idea how much it'd take to get one of these in your needy palms, but free free to indulge in the video waiting after the break.[Via OhGizmo]
He's finally back to kick some tail
DK! Donkey Kong! DK! Donkey Kong is here! Sorry, we can't think about Donkey Kong anymore without the DK Rap blaring in our heads. Much like how Rare permanently left their mark on DK through his character design, the rap has been irrevocably stuck to the character. Having the horrifying song stuck in our heads is the price we pay for playing Donkey Kong 64 or Super Smash Bros. Melee. Luckily, scanned images don't have audio tracks, so we can live without fear of coconut guns that can fire in spurts.Jeux-France has some magazine scans of Donkey Kong Jungle Climber, the sequel to the GBA's King of Swing, and it looks as good as any game that features a giant talking banana as a character, which is to say it looks excellent. And they kept the shoulder-button control scheme instead of tacking on a touch-screen system! Good Nintendo.%Gallery-3481%
