MINI Based Robot

[SleeperService]

The top story on http://www.slashdot.org right now allegedly features a 10 foot tall bipedal robot based around an R50 chassis. Naturally, the originating website (http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/internal/v2i/engin/) is unreachable due to the bandwidth load, and it seems a little far-fetched. Anyone got any more information? I'd love to take this at face value, but I'm just not that credulous any more :-)

[Root Ginger]

managed to get a page on the post to load with one pic

[Root Ginger]

Manged to get to the main page of the site. This is either a very elaborate hoax or this is real. He goes into a lot of detail. Unfortunatly the vids don't work properly on my work computer. Think I might have wrong codecs and I can't update them unfortunately.

[8702]

Sorry if this is a repost. I haven't been checking out the forum in awhile.

Hey everybody,
My brother came across this weird website about a guy making a robot out of a MINI Cooper. This guy is supposedly an engineer that worked on the original Cooper in the 60s. His whole idea is that "a robot would be the most natural complement to the automobile - a full biped, intelligent version having great strength, dexterity and a library of mechanical knowledge." The site is organized in a manner that makes everything look legit, but the videos provided appear completely CGI. Background history, notes, and sketches of the whole project are included. His friend traced the origin of the URL to an advertising company. From what he heard, supposedly the project is going to be the basis of upcoming advertising scheme for MINI. I guess we'll see if that's true. Here's the link to the site:
http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/internal/v2i/engin/

[scooperman_uk]

hells bells is that for real? check out the vids of the "stop tests" the robot stops a landrover in its tracks... http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/inte.../stop_test.htm

great site...

[Paul]

Looked fake to me, and this lends to that theory: http://slashdot.org/articles/04/03/0...id=159&tid=186Especially that the domain name "lives" at the same place as a production company that does commercials.

[NED]

Looks like a lot of work has gone into it, the 'stop test' vid is amazing!!

[Paul]

Seeing as it's that kind of site/project, it's being analysed on a Transformers site, and some others too.... Whatever they're up to it's doing quite well already on getting PR!

http://www.seibertron.com/news/view.php?id=2561
http://www.tfans.com/index.php?showtopic=1767&st=0
http://slashdot.org/articles/04/03/0...id=159&tid=186

Be interesting to see where this one goes!

[jlivengo]

a bunch of poo poo under my shoe. It's fun to watch though.

[NED]

Transformers! The BEST toy ever!
Probably not linked at all, but a Transformers live-action film is being made, maybe MINI will be a Hollywood star again!

[paa100]

That is the funniest thing I have seen in ages!

[scooperman_uk]

heres the VW transformed vid if anyones interested http://www.wozzers.co.uk/video/vwtransformer.html

[Prowse]

(Not quite sure where to place it in the Forums but...)

You're all gonna lurve this...

http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/internal/v2i/engin/

[ChrisBray]

Just been sent this. Might win the award for most modded mini! (Notice doors on legs)
More info on the link below but you need quicktime to see the videos and the download site won't bloomin work at the moment so haven't seen them myself:
http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/internal/v2i/engin/

[ninethreeeleven]

I have watched this (especially the car stopping video!!!) many times, and I must admit, it looks too good to be true, might be a hoax. Look at the robots feet in the above pic, they look unreal, like they were computer generated. And the car stopping, although amazing, looks a bit fake.

Although I do hope I am wrong!
-Patrick