Large autonomous robots have always given us a sense of horror from the future that according to movies will have robots that would be more intelligent than us and treat the human race as their slaves. Well we might be far from the autonomous robots that would rule our world but the things are certainly moving in that direction.
In the recent Maker Faire event that took play in the Bay area last month many hardware and software enthusiasts presented their creations that showed us how interesting our technological future is going to be like. At the same event one very big robot was presented called the Walking Pod designed by Scott Parenteau. The Walking Pod was a robot that had crab like 12 legs that allowed it to move in any direction.
The Walking Pod robot which is thankfully controlled by an operator runs on 800 watts of power. The power for it to run is generated through the solar panels attached to it on its roof. Apart from generating power from the built-in solar panels this big robot also has a wind turbine which contributes to its power needs as well.
Scott Parenteau, who is a commercial welder made the Walking Pod using scrap metal and industrial dishwasher parts. It took him three months to create the working model of the Walking Pod. It weighs 1,800 pounds, which is the same weight as a small car.
While the Walking Pod is impressive in its looks the robot isn’t as impressive in its working abilities as we would have liked. It can move at a speed of 0.02 miles per hour suggesting that it is not meant for use on the roads and by general public. What’s significant about this machine is that its size and looks which give us a look of an alien invasion and a glimpse of the future which will be filled with robots smaller and much larger than Walking Pod’s size.