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Science & Technology

US challenges Japan to a giant robot duel

By T.K. Randall
July 3, 2015 · Comment icon 21 comments

Megabot is an undeniably impressive piece of kit. Image Credit: YouTube / MegaBots Inc
Two giant mechanized robots could soon be duking it out in a showdown of epic proportions.
Towering at a height of 15ft and weighing in at 15,000 pounds, Megabot II is a huge mechanized paintball-firing combat walker that wouldn't look out of place in the movie Pacific Rim.

Its opponent, the Japanese-made Kurutas, is 3ft shorter and weighs significantly less but is more advanced and comes equipped with a BB bullet Gatling gun and a sophisticated targeting system.

This week the US inventors behind Megabot have thrown down the gauntlet in an attempt to organize a duel between the two machines as part of an ongoing effort to start a real-life robot fighting league.

"Born of the fires of American innovation, we've built the Megapot II, America's first fully functioning piloted robot," they said. "And because we're American, we've added really, really big guns."
"The mark II isn't the first fighting robot in the world, Kuratas beat us to it. We have a giant robot, you have a giant robot. You know what that means - we challenge you to a duel."

Requiring a team of two to operate, Megabot possesses two huge modular pneumatic cannons for arms and can let loose paint-filled cannonballs at speeds of up to 120mph.

"We're bringing video games and science fiction to life in the form of internally piloted giant fighting robots," said co-founder Gui Cavalcanti.

If Japan accepts the challenge then the fight will take place in approximately one year's time.



Source: Popular Science | Comments (21)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #12 Posted by lisabee71 9 years ago
Awesome! Please let it be real!
Comment icon #13 Posted by Silver Surfer 9 years ago
America beat Japan in a robot off... please, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Comment icon #14 Posted by krypter3 9 years ago
Great and all but...anyone notice how it didn't move. It was always in one spot lol. Shame.
Comment icon #15 Posted by SemiSweet 9 years ago
At the risk of simultaneously sounding like a kook AND a spoil sport, this whole USA v Asia fighting huge robots is just asking for trouble... lol.
Comment icon #16 Posted by Aardvark-DK 9 years ago
If it is like US cars, it will break apart for no apparent reason, and the Jap one, will go on forever...
Comment icon #17 Posted by schizoid78 9 years ago
Toys for "adults".. S
Comment icon #18 Posted by OverSword 9 years ago
If it is like US cars, it will break apart for no apparent reason, and the Jap one, will go on forever... Are you kidding? That American bot looks like it will take a serious beating, the Japanese one looks like it's a bit flimsy. To be fair I don't think the Japanese knew they were going to be challenged to a fight. At any rate, if team Japan accepts the challenge both teams have a year to negotiate fire power and armor specs, agree on scoring rules and modify their bots as necessary. If they do a pay per view event with maybe some regular battle bot preliminary bouts this could be a huge suc... [More]
Comment icon #19 Posted by atomk12 9 years ago
Hmmm, I'm all for an American bot taking on a Japanese bot, but the Japanese have been fascinated with this a bit longer I think. I would be like pitting the Power Rangers against Super Sentai. I would still love to see this battle, it reminds me of Real Steel or Big Hero 6.
Comment icon #20 Posted by travelnjones 9 years ago
I think the Japanese bot, is a generation ahead. The US bot looks like something Japan had 5 years go that shot tennis balls.
Comment icon #21 Posted by Silver Surfer 9 years ago
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/07/tech/giant-robot-fight-challenge-accepted/index.html Response: Challenge Accepted... "But come on guys, make it interesting! Just building something huge and sticking guns on it... it's... super-American." Suggests America hardens the *&^% up and bring some bare metal melee combat.


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