Vehicle to autonomous biped robot conversion.

March 17, 2004 4:51 AM

Vehicle to autonomous biped robot conversion for the Mini Cooper r50. I have no idea what this is all about but that doesn't bother me in the least. Amazing.
posted by coudal (23 comments total)

Holy Crap!
posted by Witty at 5:03 AM on March 17, 2004

This thing is AMAZING! It would STOMP all over Honda's Asimo robot.
posted by scalz at 5:06 AM on March 17, 2004

Beautiful sketches too.
posted by coudal at 5:06 AM on March 17, 2004

I can't get any of the movies to run. Is the definitely more than just some graphics work?
posted by twine42 at 5:27 AM on March 17, 2004

After seeing a Mini stuck to the side of a building outside Bristol train station then I've always had a soft spot for their marketing department.

Good CGI
posted by fullerine at 5:28 AM on March 17, 2004

Wait... is this like, a Transformer or something? Or just a robot he built out of Mini parts? Or is this a hoax that I'm totally falling for?
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 5:53 AM on March 17, 2004

computer graphics!
posted by darkpony at 5:54 AM on March 17, 2004

It is a hoax, and there's a rumour it was done by the company as a kind of viral car ad, but either way it's a pretty cool set of pics.
posted by tiamat at 5:58 AM on March 17, 2004

Yeah, okay, so I just clicked to the one Witty linked to... that's clearly CGI. Fool me once, I guess.

Also, the lack of any visible power supply the sustain it is telling. I know we have somewhat limber automatronic construction devices and stuff, but I sincerely doubt this guy can build his own Gundam without a massive energy and automotive source. Assuming this thing weighs as much as your average car (and doesn't need thrusters just to support the top-heavy weight of a steel-constructed upright robot), you would need the power necessary to turn a gearshaft multiplied by almost every major moving system, wouldn't you? Each independent joint would requir it's own system of motors and rotors... forget fossil fuel, you'd need a nuclear reactor to power all that to run that fast.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 6:02 AM on March 17, 2004

from Slashdot:

6 darblay street
london
W1V 8DM
GB

A quick search for this address on Google reveals:

Martyn Gould Productions, 6 D'Arblay St, London, W1F 8DN, UK

On a page titled: "Film and Television - Post Production, Commercials"
posted by shoepal at 6:54 AM on March 17, 2004

My eight-year-old Transformers connoisseur is totally going to freak out over this one.
posted by alumshubby at 6:56 AM on March 17, 2004

I still want one.
posted by Busithoth at 7:17 AM on March 17, 2004

All using a tiny Mini r50 combustion engine, mounted vertically, COOL.
posted by tomplus2 at 7:18 AM on March 17, 2004

Wait! What?! It's fake?! CG?!?!
posted by scalz at 7:49 AM on March 17, 2004

One of the best. Hoaxes. Evar.
posted by LairBob at 7:52 AM on March 17, 2004

Okay, here is the full Slashdot link, where this is also being discussed.
posted by scalz at 7:55 AM on March 17, 2004

some years ago there was a .mov of a cgi vw beetle transformer. I cannot find it now anyone: does anyone have it wiled away somewhere?
posted by jmgorman at 8:07 AM on March 17, 2004

Here is the link to the VW Beetle transformer.

Note: Hi-res MPEG file
posted by scalz at 8:32 AM on March 17, 2004

thanks scalz, I guess I need to go to Metalk and hone my googling skilz
posted by jmgorman at 9:16 AM on March 17, 2004

Interestingly enough, Mazda is also running a campaign where an RX-8 turns into a Transformer.
posted by Aaorn at 9:32 AM on March 17, 2004

if it's being hosted by mini you'd think they would pay out for some bandwidth :(
posted by rhyax at 11:16 AM on March 17, 2004

That's a really heavy VW Beetle in scalz's link! The normal Beetle is about 1,200 kg, but that one shakes the camera like it weighs 100 tons when it walks. [yes, I am a geek]
posted by moonbiter at 4:53 PM on March 17, 2004

DNS points to guerrilla marketers.
posted by skallas at 6:43 PM on March 17, 2004