5 Real-World Mechs Straight out of Science Fiction
Mechs are damn near everywhere in fiction. From space-horror to steampunk -- hell, even anime has a few -- it seems there's no problem a good, giant robot suit can't solve. And yet, in reality, we all commute to work in dumb ol' cars, fight our wars with boring guns and make bland love with our decidedly non-mechanical genitals. Where are our mechs, science? Where are our goddamn mechs?!
Oh wait, here they are. Sorry about that, Science.GE Walking Truck
Admittedly it does so rather hesitantly and awkwardly - but that's more a matter of self-confidence than ability.
Doesn't this kind of piss you off? We had functional fun-size AT-ATs back in the mid-60s! Sure, doubts were raised about its inherent balance and mobility -- because there's a kind of pulley system following the thing around through parts of the video -- but look closely: The rope is slack most of the time. It seems to be serving more as a precaution than a support. These scientists are still human beings, after all. While they might know, objectively, that this shambling steel rhino skeleton is entirely rider-operated, and therefore physically unable to snap and rampage through the complex in a berserk murder spree -- they're still going to put a leash on it, just in case. Besides, there are plenty of images of the thing moving freely, and even a few of the later prototypes, which had stabilizing arms so it could never fall over in such a way that you could not right it again. Long story short: It worked, and with a little more development, it could have worked really well.
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Gundam Statue
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T-52 Enryu
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Kid's Walker
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The Beetle
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For more futuristic innovations we can have, check out 5 Famous Sci-Fi Weapons That They're Actually Building. And check out more from Brockway in The 5 Most Evil Robots Ever Invented.