Japanese firm Brave Robotics and amusement park ride manufacturer Sansei Technologies have joined forces to create a giant transforming robot. The humanoid bot can carry two passengers and turn into a "sports car" in under a minute.
Standing at about 12 feet tall, "J-deite RIDE" is the idea of Kenji Ishida, CEO of Brave Robotics. Ishida says that he "grew up believing that robots had to be capable of such things, which became my motivation to develop this robot." He is also an avid fan of anime movies with robots that are able to transform or combine with one another.
The Ride robot weighs in at 3,736 pounds and is constructed mainly of aluminum alloy. It has a theoretical maximum "walking" speed of 18.6 mph and can reach 37.3 mph in driving mode. It's not exactly fast for turning into a so-called sports car, but top speed is far from the point of the project.
Should stepping into a tall robot make you nervous, the Ride is also able to be controlled remotely over a wireless network.
Even though many people may see the robot as just an "expensive toy", Ishida states that his goal is to inspire others with his creation. Sponsors are being recruited for the Ride which will allow it to be used for promotional purposes at exhibitions and performances. Given the unique aspect of the project, there is no sale price available.
J-deite RIDE is going to be making its way to trade shows over the next few months. Further information will be available at "GoldenWeek DOKIDOKI Festa All Working Cars Assemble!" on May 5 and at one of the world's largest attraction trade shows "IAAPA Attractions Expo 2018" in November in Florida.
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