The Murata Seisaku-kun robot wants to ride his bicycle
Posted Sep 30, 2005, 10:22 AM ET by Paul Miller
Related entries: Robots
Well at least it’s good to know that when robots take over the earth they won’t all be driving around in a bunch of road hogging cars. The “Murata Seisaku-kun” robot being built by Murata Manufacturing in Japan can get around on his very own bicycle; pedaling along at the nauseatingly slow pace of 1.24 miles an hour. He can follow pre-programmed paths and has a sensor to track which way he’s leaning and adjust the handlebars accordingly — too bad he won’t be going fast enough to steer it over any sweet jumps. The robot is actually so skilled at biking slow that he can maintain his upright position even while stopped due to a rotating disk built into his belly, which would’ve sure come in handy back when we used to race the neighbor kids to see who could bike the slowest. On the other hand, we’re sure glad we didn’t have to learn how to ride on a freaking balance beam like poor Murata seems to be doing.
Hmmm…there was just an article in the Wall Street Journal about robots being used as jockeys for camel racing in Quatar. Now biking. That guy looks about as aero as I am…
Read an article yesterday (either NYT or WSJ) that described how the govt of Quatar is spending millions on development of a camel jocky robot since they dont’ have enought sub-80 lb jockeys there. I guess camel racing is big time there…
Don’t we as humans have an internal weight balance as well. Doesn’t make it any less amazing. Cripes man, personally I think this is quite an achievement but then again computers and robots are my thing.
I guess we have some kind of internal balance (what that has to do with our ears I have no idea) but from the pic, it does seem like the robot has something that would spin in its chest…
hey, I like the robot too, (I’m a comp.sci.geek as well) - I’ve never seen one riding a bike, and I’d like to have that as a robot around the house than any stinkin’ aibo. (that sony dog)
The robot is actually so skilled at biking slow that he can maintain his upright position even while stopped due to a rotating disk built into his belly, which would’ve sure come in handy back when we used to race the neighbor kids to see who could bike the slowest.
Where’s the fun in being able to hold a trackstand indefinitely, if you can’t chug PBR or Red Bull & Vodka while you’re doing it???
I’m not a robot guy, more of a mountain bike guy. What I see is a front suspension & disc brakes…Now why would little robot man need either…Unless he is planning on becoming, downhill robot man!!!
Don’t worry about robots taking over the Earth, worry about cyborgs taking over the Earth. Give me some copper wire, a car battery, and a Catepillar Earth Mover and I’ll put a hurtin’ on any robot army.
