Robotic Snow Removal Even Better Than Flying Cars
Meet Yuki-taro. He’s a prototype Japanese snow removal robot with GPS positioning, obstacle avoidance through video cameras in the “eyes,” and, the best part… a compactor that takes the scooped up snow and presses it into compacted ice bricks, which then exit the rear of the robot and are stacked in back.
That’s right, my friends. The Japanese have invented a robot that eats snow and poops igloo bricks. WE ARE LIVING IN THE FUTURE.
Unfortunately, Yuki-taro will not be ready for market for at least 5 years, which means he can’t help with our snowpocalypse cleanup, but in a few years, I will be lobbying my local government to purchase a fleet of these little guys.
Comments
13 Responses to “Robotic Snow Removal Even Better Than Flying Cars”
February 17th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
This is so awesome. I love that this is really a thing.
February 17th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
It’s WALL-E for snow!
February 17th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
It’s like a Roomba for snow. If they ever market this for home use they should call it a homeboni.
February 17th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by Unsilent: Holy shit, somebody strap an iPod dock on this thing immediately http://bit.ly/b6qlaj #DJRoomba @azizansari @KenTremendous…
February 17th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Of course how long after yuki-taro’s commercial debut would we be hit a bunch of video clips featuring cats riding on them
February 17th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Our city can’t control escalators
Why do we think we would be able to control these?
We could buy 10 and at best have 1 work every 6 months
February 17th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I, for one, welcome my new robot overlords. Awesome.
February 18th, 2010 at 8:34 am
[...] Robotic Snow Removal Even Better Than Flying Cars » We Love DC. [...]
February 18th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I’ve seen robots that size that haul cargo around factories, and this will never work on American streets. People seem to feel intimidated by them and like to give them kicks and laugh as they stop trying to figure out what the obstacle is.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Poops ice bricks?
ahhh, just like my husky.
come spring it doo get nasty.
February 21st, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Use the bricks to make temporary shelters for the homeless. By they time they melt, it is warm enough to sleep in doorways.
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:20 pm
[...] I really want a job procuring insanely awesome snow-removal technology. [...]
February 27th, 2010 at 7:13 am
When you see it, it shits bricks.