Robots are starting to be more and more pervasive in our world, never mind that they have long ruled assembly and inspection lines in factories. Japan has a couple of robot museum guides who look so lifelike, they might have just taken a huge leap into the Uncanny Valley. Apart from that, we also have the allegation that Frank Lucas, the incumbent Oklahoma congressman, is no who “he” is, but rather, a robot. Well, to bring to light another robotic achievement would be the 70-foot tall BugJuggler who actually uses giant arms that will be able to juggle cars, as it wows the crowd by hurling a trio of vehicles into the air simultaneously.
In what looks like a cross between the fictional Iron Giant and a Transformer, this robotic beast could one day be juggling cars at an event near you.Former Nasa engineer Dan Granett has designed a 70ft (21 metres) tall robotic man capable of hurling heavy objects, namely the Volkswagen Beetle, at car rallies. Dubbed BugJuggler, Granett envisions a remote-controlled, towering droid that uses hydraulic cylinders to launch the vehicles into the air. ‘Moving beyond the car crushing robots of the past century, BugJuggler will use 21st century technology to perform breathtaking feats, including juggling up to three cars simultaneously.’ According to Grannet’s designs, an operator located in the robot’s head will be able to control its motions using haptic feedback, connected to high-speed servo valves. It will be powered by hydraulic accumulators – storage batteries for hydraulic fluid – which will allow for the smooth movement needed for the BugJuggler to throw cars or other large, heavy objects. BugJuggler would also operate within a ‘safety radius’, in case a car is dropped.
