Robotics

Megabots' giant American fighting robot beats up a Toyota Prius

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MegaBots Mk.III: 16 feet  and 12 tons of American anger
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That's what you get for being a Prius
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MegaBots Mk.III at Maker Faire Bay Area
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MegaBots co-founders Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein
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MegaBots Mk.III: 16 feet  and 12 tons of American anger
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MegaBots Mk.III: yes, that's a Murican eagle on its shoulder, ready to bring truth and justice to the rest of the world
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MegaBots Mk.III: requires a driver and a "gunner"
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MegaBots Mk.III: under construction
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MegaBots Mk.III: ready to take a swing at a helpless Prius
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A dangling Toyota Prius after the MegaBots Mk.III has laid into it
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MegaBots Mk.III: giant combat robot tees off on a dangling Toyota Prius
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With the world's first international giant robot fight just a few months away, team America has revealed its contender. The MegaBots Mk.III combat robot made its hulking debut at Maker Faire Bay Area, and took the opportunity to beat up on a couple of Toyota Priuses.

We're less than three months away from watching the Megabots Mk.III go at Japan's Kuratas robot in some form of giant robot fight, and while we haven't heard a peep out of the Japanese team for almost a year since the gauntlet was thrown down, the Americans have been very busy.

In addition to promoting the event and bringing in extra competitors for future robot fights, the MegaBots team has been furiously pushing out progress updates. And now, we've got an unfinished contender to look at.

Standing 16 ft (4.9 m) tall, the MegaBots Mk.III has a bald eagle on its right shoulder (which will be wearing aviator sunnies by the time the fight comes around), one punching/grappling arm and another that shoots whopping big paintballs heavy enough to dent a car.

MegaBots Mk.III: yes, that's a Murican eagle on its shoulder, ready to bring truth and justice to the rest of the world
MegaBots

This 12-ton, US$2.5-million beast is piloted by two people – one in charge of driving and one in charge of the fighty parts. Its Howe & Howe tank-tracked base and hydraulically actuated limbs are powered by a meaty 6.2-liter, 430-hp Corvette LS3 V8 engine.

When this thing first launched on Kickstarter, three backers kicked in over $5,000 to unlock a reward called "Punch a Prius," and that's just what they got to do at the Mk.III reveal at Maker Faire.

Two Toyota Priuses (Pries? Priii?) were dangled from cranes as the pilots took turns swinging punches at them in a piece of tangled symbolism. Take that, Japan! Take that, environmentally conscious drivers! Take that, Toyota Prius, and everything you stand for! USA! USA! USA!

"To protect the audience and keep the robot from damaging itself," the Mk.III was throttled back to a quarter of its top punching speed. So as you can see in the video below, the Prius punching exercise was a touch on the feeble side.

Still, it broke the windows and dented the metal, and hopefully things will be a bit more fun when the team goes full throttle and swings at the Kuratas. The event, assuming Japan gets its act together, will be held at an undisclosed location in August and broadcast on the MegaBots and Suidobashi Heavy Industries YouTube channels.

It's pure, big-budget silliness, and we're looking forward to it.

Source: MegaBots

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11 comments
SinanAvcı
So stupid, not worth a comment
Readout Noise
Well done to the engineers, but beating up a Prius sends a terrible anti-environmental message to the kids who were present.
TrevorX
It looks awesome for movies or TV programs but on the real battle field one well placed bullet will end it I love the look though awesome.
Bob Flint
Why hang the car, let it respond from the ground, and watch it mess up the treads on that over grown bobcat....
Gaëtan Mahon
AFAIK, the artwork they started with appears to be coming from the guy responsible for the Mech designs of Mechwarrior Online.
Anyway... When I first saw it, WAY BACK, I immediately was like: "That's so not going to happen"
2-3 years later and it looks like I was right. They haven't made any progress at all. The whole thing not only looks pretty much exactly the same as in the beginning. They now ridicule themselves by covering it in an American Eagle theme?! Bruh...
They might want to take a look at Method 2 who, while it appears to have arrive later, can actually walk and move it's arms according to it's pilot.
GaryOwens
Beyond stupid, terrible waste of time and materials. Flag waving, anti Japanese, childish. And what silly arse thought of the scavenger bird on the shoulder of this stupid machine....the whole thing absolutely stupid. 😉
ljaques
I have never regretted turning off my TV feed 14 years ago. When they get to the Real Steel level, let me know. Until then, it's not even entertainment.
Milton
This may end up being the second biggest disappointment of 2017
RocoWolfe
As far as the quality of the robots, they don't have military budgets, so they won't look too amazing, at first. As far the Prius goes, no one cares about it! It's a Prius! One of the ugliest cars to ever hit the market. People only buy em to act like they're "helping the environment." Seriously, no car maker can truly say that because of the processes the materials need to go through! If any kids were watching, chances are, they didn't know what a Prius was. I'm not against the environment, I'm against protecting something that doesn't need to be protected, i.e. the Prius and "anti-Japanese" claims.
toyhouse
Beyond dumb. What a terrible message. Never has there been a more political symbol forced on a car than with the prius. You wouldn't believe the hatred and ignorance people show over nothing more than a car with four wheels. For them, it's all about politics. If you think it's ugly, fine, but for the record, there are plenty of very ugly cars out there. And no, people don't always buy them to brag about the environment. Has anyone here been approached by a prius owner for preaching? I haven't. They buy them because they're reliable and cheap at the pump when gas prices spike. And yes, some buy them for eco image. Who cares? Many folks apparently - the true preachers. They're amazing cars technically which is one of reasons folks like us come to websites like this. We like technical things. I'm pretty sure, that the engineers at toyota, who worked for years on the prius, didn't work to create a symbol to be used like the one being shown here. A real shame. The world continues to slides downward - sigh....