September 4th, 2005
World’s 1st Mech Warrior Becomes Reality
By William Chee
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
If you think the picture is taken from some Japanese Anime, look closely. It’s a real and deployable mechanatron called Land Walker, similar to those you see in games like Mech Warriors.
Japanese robotics and machineries manufacturer Sakakibara-Kikai has developed the world’s first bi-pedal exoskeleton, bringing the battlemechs and cyborg technology found in sci-fi movies and novels into reality. This mechanatron is similar to those found in movies such as the Imperial Scout Walker (AT-ST) found in Star Wars. Previously, there was a similar mechanatron also created in Japan by Tmsuk called Enryu. Although Enryu is much faster than Land Walker, it uses caterpillar-like tracks rather than legs to move.
Such heavy-duty machineries can be used to lift heavy objects in times of crisis. However, they can also be deployed as fighting mechanatron such as those found in Zion of Matrix Revolution by mounting guns on the sides. This could revolutionalize the land warfare in the future - imagine an army of battle mechanatrons marching towards and crushing the enemies. However, each of these mechanatrons comes with a hefty price of US$345,000.
More Information with Videos of Land Walker in Action: DigitalCamera@101reviews
John Corliss says:
Since when did price ever become an obstacle to any defense budget?
September 5th, 2005 at 5:17 am
SRB says:
We spend more than that on lunches for the military. I’ll take two…
September 5th, 2005 at 9:07 am
MKT says:
If a $4 RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) can disable or destroy a Bradley or Striker armored fighting vehicle, I don’t see this thing presenting much of a problem. Plus, you’re sure not going to sneak up on anyone. Just another big target.
September 6th, 2005 at 8:42 am
Lord Bicen says:
While i am not too impressed with it’s speed capabilities thus far, Further reaserch in this area shows absolute promise. Imagine one of these things with 4 mounted miniguns (Like from Predator, or T2) and it can move at 40 miles an Hour? To say the least of a mobile Surface to air Missle Platform That can move with the battlefield combat soldier? Or imagine a complete surface to surface missleboat platform? Think of it in the sherman tank category from WW2. While the Sherman was a joke to the tiger, we could outproduce them with cheeper equipment. These Mech’s, once refined, are Extreemly cheeper than an Abrams. You could have 4 of these for the cost of one Abrams, so what if you lose one. you have three left and the abrams can only fire at one target at a time. he takes out one the mech takes out the tank. your out one 350k mech and one pilot. the abrams has a minimum tank crew of 4. now do the math. While the speed is Unsatesfactory the concept is sound and needs further development, not to mention the possibilities for space.
December 5th, 2005 at 12:46 pm