Earlier this month we told you about the first giant mech designed not for fighting, but for racing, and because we’re all in on any and all huge robots, our own Dan Casey went to CES to get a close up look at Furrion’s nearly 9,000 pound behemoth Prosthesis. And while it might only be taking the mechanical equivalent of baby steps now, after seeing it in person we’re confident the company’s dream of a mech racing league will soon become a reality.
Dan interviewed creator Jonathan Tippett, who built and designed the massive Prosthesis for Furrion’s Exo-Bionics division, and while it’s only capable of walking right now, the plan is to get it up to 20mph so one day it can race in a competitive league. And what will truly make this the sport of the future is that Prosthesis is totally human-controlled and piloted.
The machine, with movements that mirror those of a gorilla, still has some issues to work out, especially when it comes to operating the feet. However, it’s impossible not to see the progress they’ve already made and not see the possibilities of where it is going. For now, Prosthesis is basically at the stage of development equal to when the Wright Brothers flew for the first time. A decade after that breakthrough the first commercial flight took to the air, and 50 years after that mankind went to space.
Considering how much faster technology develops now, it won’t take long for Prosthesis to find its running legs, or for some real competition to show up and challenge it for supremacy.
Mech racing is coming, and it’s coming soon. The real question is when can we sign up for season tickets.
What kind of track would you love to see mech robots races on? Tell us in the comments below.
Featured Image: Furrion
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