We're getting close to Macross technology

[Protoplast]

Subaru’s RoboHiter (no l in that name!) RS1 and T1 admittedly looks a lot like those crazy human-operated street sweepers they use in Montreal (come to think of it, it also looks a lot like a Zamboni), except, you guessed it, completely autonomous. It uses GPS, laser location sensors, and two-way communication to other RoboHiters to make sure no street gets swept twice—unless it’s supposed to be, and hey, it can even pick up garbage cans. From the looks of it, though, it doesn’t feature our favorite part of real live trashmen: surliness and vocal disdain for yous bein’ in da way.

This looks like straight out of the Macross city streets..

[Wheels]

That's nothing new, too me anyways.

Some years back, someone designed an automatic "smart" lawn mover. You would first program the perimeter of the lawn to be cut, and away it goes. It even has hit detection to avoid objects, walls, curbs, people, etc.

So to me, this street cleaner would be the next logical step forward.

And they still have a cool factor.

Edited March 26, 2005 by Wheels

[Solscud007]

dont forget teh robotic vacum cleaner

[Zentrandude]

heh its the Gubabamobile. wonder if they going to hire bunch of people that only does is put the thing back up when the night before the kids knock them on there sides (bit like cow tipping).

[Wesker99]

heh its the Gubabamobile.

Indeed.

I wonder if it say's thank you after picking up trash.

[Radd]

Heck, ever been to Toronto? Billboards on the side of the road showing full commercials, giant glass buildines with video displays facing out into the street. It reminds me a lot of Macross City as depicted in Macross Plus. They just need a space fortress resting in the lake.

[JB0]

heh its the Gubabamobile.

Indeed.

I wonder if it say's thank you after picking up trash.

I keep thinking of the vending machines.

Imagine a street sweeper that stalks you and attempts to cut you off, all the while chanting "Turashu? Turashu?"

[Mechamaniac]

Nice, but they'd never work here in the US. The inner city urchins would have them delivering vials of crack, or covered with gang signs etc inside of a week.

Or, they would just be stolen, and destroyed.

[Zentrandude]

Nice, but they'd never work here in the US. The inner city urchins would have them delivering vials of crack, or covered with gang signs etc inside of a week.

Or, they would just be stolen, and destroyed.

hmm i see it they try to modifiy it so it can do drive bys. little uzi welded on the side. oh noes the gubaba gang trying to cap us.

[Die, Alien Scum!]

It will give Rob Schneider a place to hide when Dredd shows up and the sh*t hits the fan.

Edited March 27, 2005 by Die, Alien Scum!

[UN Spacy]

Still waiting for the eventual Petite Cola machine.

[Lightning]

Still waiting for the eventual Petite Cola machine.

[Vespaeda]

Radd said: [..."Heck, ever been to Toronto? Billboards on the side of the road showing full commercials, giant glass buildines with video displays facing out into the street. It reminds me a lot of Macross City as depicted in Macross Plus. They just need a space fortress resting in the lake."...]

According to the Macross show storyline, the last time Toronto even remotely hosted the dimensional fortress, it got nuked by a barrier shield overload and Kakizaki got "frankfurter-Over-microwaved"!

Miss my home town; the space fortress would look cool in the lake, though and would give explanation to the ubiquitous dead fish.

Hey, Radd, is Ontario Place still alive & functional & worth going to see? Or is it just another 70's, socio-cultural dinosaur carcass? Fond childhood memories....

Vesp

[Radd]

Wasn't that Quebec that invited the Macross to drop off its civilians?

As for Ontario Place, I've actually never been. Everyone I know usually hit up Darien Lake instead. Also, I don't live in Buffalo anymore, so I don't get up to Toronto nearly as often. The last time was a year, maybe even two years ago.

[Noriko Takaya]

Nice, but they'd never work here in the US. The inner city urchins would have them delivering vials of crack, or covered with gang signs etc inside of a week.

Or, they would just be stolen, and destroyed.

Don't forget Martin O'Malley (?) would put a "Believe" sticker on them too.