Build a Robot out of a Car?

SomeRobotGuy writes "A researcher in the U.K. is in the process of building an autonomous biped robot out of a Mini Cooper r50. Its functions are controlled by six computers running RTLinux and it's powered by an internal combustion engine. And the thing's not tiny, at over 10 feet tall! The site includes videos showing some impressive results."

Standard Bending Unit?

[mod_critical]

Now it just needs a loudspeaker and a recording of "BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!"

Huh?

[TapTapTheChisler]

They could have picked any transformer and they pick BUMBLEBEE?

More than meets the eye...

[The Only Druid]

I dub him Bumblebee...

Next up

[bartyboy]

They should use a red tractor trailer to build Optimus Prime.

wow

[AssProphet]

The things you can do with photoshop...

Bubblegum Crisis

[RadicalBender]

Holy crap! It's a Motoslave [caltech.edu]!

Re:More than meets the eye...

[Gary Yogurt]

Actually he's Bumblebee's British cousin, Nigel. (He visited Cybertron during the short-lived Transformers sitcom.)

Poor publicity...

[Akki]

For something claiming to be "the fastest Web server ever" [zeus.com]. It certainly doesn't seem to be standing up to a slashdotting very well.

Geez.

[Azureflare]

That's great. Link to a small site with a bunch of medium mpeg files. Give them no warning. Has slashdot no shame???

Seems like it's become a custom around here to destroy small hobbyist sites. *sigh*

From what I got to see of it, it is truly awesome! The amount of work this guy has put into this project is just amazing. Makes me realize even more how much I want to get into the field of robotics.

HOLA!

[GoMMiX]

Now THAT is a toy!!

I'll take a dozen!

They should have run the

[pair-a-noyd]

server on the cooper engine.
MORE HORSEPOWER!!

Re:Next up

[Epistax]

Optimus Prime is jewish?

(/nothing to see here, you don't get it>

And the winner is....

[Anonymous Coward]

I would hate to be the other robot when this thing makes it to battle bots.

Site is Farked...

[d0st03vsky]

...er, I mean /.-ed...

Decepticon Millennium Copyright Act

[SunPin]

Clearly, this is an unacceptable use of an automobile.

DARPA??

[pvt_medic]

i wonder if it would qualify for the Darpa competition. I think it would be an interesting twist if it did.

Next Project

[Catnapster]

Take an F-15 and turn it into Starscream.

Or, optionally, find a thirty-foot-long alien ray gun and turn it into Shockwave.

Don't forget Unicron! [imdb.com]

Re:Poor publicity...

[Alien54]

For something claiming to be "the fastest Web server ever" [zeus.com]. It certainly doesn't seem to be standing up to a slashdotting very well.

Of course they are the fastest. They ran away.

Re:Poor publicity...

[Myco]

Oh, I don't know... it went down pretty fast.

Yeah.

[CosmeticLobotamy]

Note to self: If I ever make a web server, don't put advertisements for it on "Error 503: Server Broke" page.

Mini?

[M. Baranczak]

Six computers in a Cooper Mini? Hell, they'd never fit. This must be fake.

Red Green

[Saeed al-Sahaf]

Red Green already did this with a K-Car. And a few rolls of duct tape.

I liked it better

[aexandria1]

when they called it KITT. All they need now is a couple of LEDs on the front of the car and William Daniels in the trunk.

Transformer? Please. Battlemechs Rule!

[craXORjack]

No way man! A BattleMech is way cooler than any fruity ass robot that transforms into a refridgerator. Put a .50 cal on it, some recoilless rockets, maybe a laser or two and send it out looking for Osama bin laden.

Re:Reply From Builder (Colin Mayhew)

[Doches]

He Quoted Arthur C. Clarke! I Love Him!

Re:I just love photoshop...

[ruprechtjones]

Well, to avoid a robot-car gap, I have to turned to my driveway to see what I can do. Mini Cooper r50, prepare to meet '82 Dodge Colt RS! And mine has a sun-roof...

we meet at dawn.

If you're going to steal a post

[KalvinB]

at least have the sense to attach it as a reply to a lame attempt at first post at the top.

Ben

Re:Huh?

[noidentity]

Transformer Refuses To Change Back Into Volkswagen

CYBERTRON -- Following an intense battle with Megatron and his evil Decepticons Monday, former robot-in-disguise Bumblebee refused to revert to his natural state as a yellow Volkswagen Beetle. "I hid my existence in this world by taking the form of a vehicle! I revealed my true nature when I was called upon to protect earth!" said Bumblebee, a member of Optimus Prime's heroic Autobots force. "I refuse to change back into a humiliating bubble-shaped compact car!" Bumblebee added that Megatron arrived on earth with one goal: Destruction!

(from The Onion [theonion.com])

Re:Standard Bending Unit?

[Anonymous Coward]

That sounds like a line from UT2004

Your statement is unacceptable on slashdot. Please leave.

Please educate yourself [google.com]

Re:Isn't it amazing?

[vivin]

What?! Are you telling me my 9 dollar bill is not real?

Re:Must be French!

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes. Because if it was American it would've shot all it's allies...