Robots: Giant Roaming Creatures

Posted 25 Apr 2009 at 11:45 UTC by mwaibel

Theo Jansen is a "kinetic artist" in Holland best known for his Strandbeest, or beach animals, a new form of life that he is creating out of yellow plastic tubes (previous post). In the latest episode of the Robots podcast, Jansen describes his exceptional robots, from their ingenious mechanics that allow for a highly efficient way of walking, to his solution for energy storage and autonomy. To get a first taste of Jansen's vision, have a look at his work featured in the BMW ad above. In the second part of the podcast we talk to Jaimie Mantzel, engineer turned artist, working on the Giant Robot Project. Mantzel's adventures in building a giant 6-legged robot have inspired thousands of watchers through his website and youtube channel. The Robots interview gives an insight into some of Mantzel's experiences and offers a glimpse of the philosophy of life, freedom and art of this exceptional robot builder. More info on the Robots podcast website.