Rubber Johnny II: Electric Boogaloo

July 22, 2016 12:05 PM

Meet Graham, an interactive sculpture developed by a trauma surgeon, a crash investigation expert and a Melbourne artist to show what humans might look like, if they had evolved features to withstand car crashes (via)
posted by a lungful of dragon (25 comments total)

When a human and a Krogan love each other very much.....
posted by The Whelk at 12:33 PM on July 22, 2016 [5 favorites]

He looks like the love child of Chet after Lisa turns him into a toad and Ross Douthat
posted by Flashman at 1:18 PM on July 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

Tremble for the day Graham returns to demand that Piccinini create a bride for him.

Cool post. Piccinini's been mentioned on the blue before, but my phone makes it really hard to do the copy/paste links thing.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:26 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

How did they settle on the name Graham, I wonder: did the figure remind one of the collaborators of someone they knew? He’s evolved to better withstand both driver/passenger and pedestrian injuries: might it be just as plausible to imagine two divergent evolutionary paths, one for those within vehicles, and one without? Anyhow, it’s nice to see that the artist indulged in some decorative touches in the shape of Graham’s facial and armpit hair (unless these too aid impact survivability in some obscure way).
posted by misteraitch at 1:28 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

I prefer to think that we'd have evolved into canister vacuum cleaners with tentacles.
posted by mr vino at 1:28 PM on July 22, 2016

Can you learn to love a man like Graham?
posted by anazgnos at 1:29 PM on July 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

Thanks to CRISPR Graham can soon be a reality! We’ll have the bodies our cars deserve.
posted by Going To Maine at 1:33 PM on July 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

Graham doesn't seem to have a working neck, so it's good that he'll be able to withstand all those crashes he'll be having after not checking his blind spot.
posted by carlypennylane at 1:45 PM on July 22, 2016 [9 favorites]

Rule 34 is invoked
posted by Auden at 1:48 PM on July 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

why so many nipples, though
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 1:51 PM on July 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

This is from Australia, yes? Shouldn't he be wearing a helmet?
posted by indubitable at 2:22 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

Oh my god those nipples are vents for cushion sacs that means if you hit him in the chest it would make a sound like 30 people farting at the same time oh my god.
posted by Dmenet at 2:43 PM on July 22, 2016 [13 favorites]

No thanks. I'll walk.
posted by Splunge at 3:19 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

why so many nipples, though

Artistic driver's license.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 3:24 PM on July 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

it would make a sound like 30 people farting at the same time

I expect it would be not unlike this. (Volume warning.)
posted by Celsius1414 at 3:38 PM on July 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

I think we can all agree the facial hair kicks this up several notches in quality
posted by emptythought at 3:51 PM on July 22, 2016

Hey I'm just glad I don't have to go galavanting all hither and thither tonight in search of new masturbatory material.

Wham bam thank you Graham?
posted by bologna on wry at 4:05 PM on July 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

Now do one for surviving the other dangerous rural tool we insist on shovelling into American cities: guns.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:32 PM on July 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

It's probably also what it would take to play NFL football without getting brain damage.
posted by VTX at 4:42 PM on July 22, 2016

Meet Graham

I will not.
posted by supercres at 5:07 PM on July 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

it would make a sound like 30 people farting at the same time

JG Ballard, why are you dead?
posted by tavegyl at 8:35 PM on July 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

This is the reason that people make crumple zones and air bags. It's a touch simpler than redesigning a person.
posted by Splunge at 12:32 AM on July 23, 2016 [2 favorites]

This is cool and all but why is he just sitting on a couch? He belongs in a driving game.
posted by yoHighness at 3:58 AM on July 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

JG Ballard, why are you dead?

James Graham Ballard! Thanks, tavegyl, I think you answered my question.
posted by misteraitch at 12:03 PM on July 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

Is this something I'd have to penetrate Rosanna Arquette's leg wound to appreciate?
posted by ostranenie at 10:59 AM on July 24, 2016