real life spidermanstermind

[Shapeless]

a real life spider mastermind sans evil brain thing
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2310411/Beware-Mantis-Giant-legged-terrain-robotic-creature-revealed.html

[Maes]

Not even that original a concept.

http://blog.spiderexcavator.com/

And, I suppose, the "evil brain" part could be played by the pilot/operator ;-)

[Technician]

Shapeless said:

a real life spider mastermind sans evil brain thing
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2310411/Beware-Mantis-Giant-legged-terrain-robotic-creature-revealed.html

Not impressed.

[Varis Alpha]

no giant brain controlling the mechanics? count me out.

[exp(x)]

Doomhuntress said:

no giant brain controlling the mechanics? count me out.

The creator looks like he has a giant ego. Does that count?

[188DarkRevived]

In a way it actually looks like something that would fit well in a Star Wars flick. I can totally imagine a clone trooper steering that thing across some rough terrain.

[Daiyu_Xiaoxiang]

Can this be a new weapon for US army?

[Maes]

Daiyu_Xiaoxiang said:

Can this be a new weapon for US army?

One that gets easily downed by a WW II panzerfaust? ;-)

[DoomUK]

Maes said:

One that gets easily downed by a WW II panzerfaust? ;-)

Indeed. It's a shame real-life mechas would never be a practical thing to have in your military's arsenal. They look very cool but don't have any obvious advantages over tanks and choppers and whathaveyou.

Androids/clones/disposable soldiers, on the other hand...

[Maes]

DoomUK said:

It's a shame real-life mechas would never be a practical thing to have in your military's arsenal.

Well...as manned vehicles and at the scale shown in animu, probably not. The only value a humanoid-like mecha would have would be as a psychological shock weapon vs mostly unarmed or lightly/primitively armed opponents e.g. in crowd control in urban scenario. Think of an ED-209 like robot:



There, the animal-like contenance and movement along with its dehumanized looks would indeed be a powerful psychological factor. But on a real battlefield vs enemies armed with proper anti-material weaponry...not a chance.

If you let go of the "cool but impractical" factor, there's always the US Army's robotic mule ;-)

[DoomUK]

Maes said:

the animal-like contenance and movement along with its dehumanized looks would indeed be a powerful psychological factor

Until you discover you can outsmart it by climbing down some stairs.

[Maes]

DoomUK said:

Until you discover you can outsmart it by climbing down some stairs.

That's why it would only be deployed on flat streets as an area denial weapon...then again, desperate enough rioters could eventually topple it and tear it apart, if they managed to get close enough despite fear/casualties.

[188DarkRevived]

DoomUK said:

It's a shame real-life mechas would never be a practical thing to have in your military's arsenal. They look very cool but don't have any obvious advantages over tanks and choppers and whathaveyou.

Let's just hope that those tanks and choppers won't gain any self awareness while we gain it and retain it, eh? :p