Message posted by Andre' M. Dall'au on January 15, 2003 at 5:25:16 PST:

I think the biggest reason that two legged robot suits like that are not currently produced is the ONE thing that we all take for granted but is VERY hard to reproduce is bi-pedal walking. Probably the toughest thing we humans do (excluding playing Hockey or being a wide receiver). It is so tough that if you lose a toe, you basically have to learn to walk all over again. Robots can be made to "walk" - stagger actually, but the things we do every day, abruptly change directions, reverse direction, change speeds, pivot, run, ascend inclines, descend inclines, go up stairs, etc. on two legs gives robot makers FITS. Just because it's in a video game or in the movies doesn't make something real or even plausible. After seeing "Howard the Duck" I didn't think ducks could take (or act). I was right on both. People are still convined that the hoverboards in the "Back to the Future" series were real, and Whammo still gets questions where they can be bought. Bottom line, bipedal locomotion is VERY hard to use effectively, may NOT be the most efficient form of transportation overall for a specific need, and needs A.I.to be equipped with the kind of feedback loop walking requires. On a bad day just remember what the genius Harold Ramis in "Stripes" said - "Hey look, we're WALKING".

In Reply to: slighty off subject.....but interesting posted by Drkstr94 on January 14, 2003 at 0:54:43 PST:

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