 |
China's Crab Walker Robot Tank In Firing Mode
China's Crab Walker robot tanks are just in the design stage, but the intent is to develop a multi-legged autonomous cannon.
(Crab Walker robot tank in firing mode)
Dai Jinsong and other Chinese engineers of the School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, have published three articles in Chinese weapons design journals as part of a long term study into the design of a legged, autocannon carrying robot. The extent of the study indicates a serious effort. The first article discussed modeling gun accuracy and building an eight-legged demonstrator and the second articles involved application of computer aided design (CAD) software to improve the testing process. Most importantly, the third paper analyzed the systems integration of components like the nine channel signal driver module, RS-845 communications module and STM-32 syncrhonization set, which were required to build a unique unified control system for its eight limbs.The Chinese "crab walker" design is roughly 6 meters long, and two meters wide, including its legs. It has eight main legs, four on each side of the body, and has two rear mounted legs to brace itself for stabilization during firing; there is also another stabilization leg installed in the front).
Science fiction fans have seen this before (also, perhaps sf fans in China?). I'm thinking of the Tachikoma robots from Ghost in the Shell.
Fans of Star Wars might be thinking of the Separatist laser tank platforms used in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.
(OG-9 Homing Droid)
Much earlier, Jack Vance described a walking fort in his 1964 novel The Killing Machine:
He wanted Patch to design and construct a walking fort in the semblance of a monster centipede, seventy-six feet long and twelve feet high. The mechanism was to consist of eighteen segments, each equiped with a pair of legs. The fort... must be able to move at a speed of at least forty miles per hour on synchronized, smoothly operating legs.
If you'd like to see a small model of this idea, take a look at the video for the Roller-Walker Robot Has Tachikoma Skating Motion.
Via PopSci.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 9/19/2014)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Weapon ")
SPECTER Electroshock Round Fireable From Shotgun
'...the balls sent by this gun are not ordinary balls, but little
cases of glass.' - Jules Verne, 1875.
Electric Lasso Gives Police Options
'The blast of silver threads enveloped her...' Nolan and Johnson, 1967.
R9X Hellfire Missile With Long Blades Kills Queda Leader
'He was still roaring when the knife missile flicked past him...' - Iain M. Banks, 1990.
CAV-X Supercavitating Ammo Deadly Underwater
'...in the midst of this fluid, which is very dense compared with the atmosphere, shots could not go far.' - Jules Verne, 1875.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Current News
DALL-E Makes Creative Images From Text
Okay, sf fans. If you could have some art created from a science fiction sentence, what sentence would you pick?
BladeBUG Robots Clean Massive Wind Turbine Blades
'There were the cleaners, with large padded feet, who were apparently polishing their way the whole length...'
Looms To Manually Weave Lunar Rover Wheels
It's fascinating to me how the Apollo program forced people to think outside their usual boxes.
IceBot Antarctic (Planetary?) Robotic Explorers Made Of Ice
'Some will combine in place to form more complicated structures, like excavators or centipedes.'
Glad 2020 Is Over
Maybe you missed one of these?
PEDOT Polymer Could Enhance Brain-Machine Interfaces
'the hair-fine wire going deep into Owen's brain, down into the pleasure center.'
Study: Robots Encourage Humans To Take Risks
Not exactly Three Laws compliant.
Kinetic Buildings And Psychotropic Houses
'There was a dim whirring, and the spheres tipped and began to rotate...'
Jupe Urban Escape Pods Have Tesla, SpaceX Roots
'The houses are prefabricated units... and they sell at the flat rate of five hundred dollars a room — set up.'
Best Robot Dance Video Of 2020
'I can Mashed Potato... I can do the Twist.'
Vertical Farm In Singapore's Output Is 1.5 Tons Per Day
'A towering eighty-story structure like the office "In-and-Out" baskets stacked up to the sky.'
3D Printed 'Blisk' Manufactured In Orbit
'It can be mass-produced only in the orbiting factories...'
Comercial Airlock 'Bishop' Now On ISS
'They put the bones and the glass can that had contained the soup into the double-doored partition or vestibule...'
Space Station Could Use Some Martian Sawgrass
'What better purifying machine is there than a plot of grass?'
ARTUu AI Copilot For USAF
'A series of short beep's and chirps issued from his speaker...'
Smellicopter Combines Live Moth Antenna With Mechanical Drone
'The organic tissue is inserted in the master tank and then sealed.'
