[colto]

Hey guys! I havent been around for a while due to my computer crashing and life getting busy. I am however back and ready for action! Sounds like a cool challenge this go round. I am gonna have to think about an idea for a robot. I definately want to animate it so I better keep that in mind. Hmm, maybe a robotic pet like Dog from Half-Life 2? Or a robot built to explore foreign worlds such as AMEE from Red Planet? But is this original enough? This is definately gonna take some thinking time! Get back to you guys soon!

[colto]

Ok so I have been brainstorming for a little while and thought about what real-life tasks could really use some really cool robot to make performing them easier. Well I saw a preview for the movie Ladder 49 on TV a second ago and thought hey, how about a better form of firefighting? So I am thinking of a monster transformer style robot that has a cannon that blast water with hoses and stuff all over his body for putting out fires.

[colto]

Hmm, all this thinking of fire has reminded me of a book we read in school last year called Fahrenheit 451. In this book there is a mechanical hound that is capable of finding a criminal guilty, tracking/hunting him down, and lethally injecting him on the spot. It was the authors vision of the future form of capitol punishment. So now I am torn between the ideas of the firefighting robot, and the mechanical hound. Anyone out there think one sounds better than the other? I am gonna sleep on it and see if I can think up anything else.

[Zeeman]

lol. I like the ideas Colto! I think that the Firefighting robot is pretty cool U've gotta make it look nice and chunky, kinda like the fire trucks! ... just my two cents toward ur idea

[colto]

O yes I was thinking of making him very rectangular like the trucks actually are. I was thinking that his breastplate would look just like the front of the firetruck with the human firefighters behind the windsheild. I am definately leaning toward the firefighting one atm.

[mtmckinley]

of the 2 ideas, the fire-fighting one is more original.

[JM317]

Ya i think so too

[JM317]

Hey if I where to inter the comp would I be able to make a mech?????

[mtmckinley]

actually, I'd prefer not. I think I'll add that to the rules. I'm looking for functionality with this comp.

[Sir_Pro_View]

Does a motorilzed teethbrush classify as something robotic to be a robot? Or does this robot have to beable to do the job by itself with out any human contact? I'm confused with this, I way I'm to believe a robot is, is anything that moves to make a job easier for a human to do. So would a coffee machine be considered a robot?

Help.LOL

[mtmckinley]

Try to ask questions in the guidelines thread rather than an entry thread.

Originality and the concept's functionality is a big judging point of this comp, so if you want to make an electric toothbrush, by all means, go ahead. Probably shouldn't expect to win though.

[colto]

OK so I am going to go with the fire-fighting idea. I do not have an actual concept sketch yet so I am going to try and explain my idea. The basic job of the robot is to perform the dangerous parts of fire-fighting and to do the task more effeciently than humans would have. The robot will be able to safely navigate itself to the scene of the fire, connect to local water sources(fire hydrants, lakes, etc.), suppress the fire, and save anyone inside.My robot will be very large( about the width of the street and slightly longer than a normal firetruck). It will appear very much like a normal truck while driving with the exception of the hoses and large tanks mounted on the back of it (while keeping this concept as original as possible I am also trying to achieve some sense of practicallity as you would never see a 3 story humanoid style robot trying to fight a fire lol). The bot will have 6 large tires enabling it to navigate both roads and difficult terrain. Upon reaching the scene of the fire the truck will transform to its fire-fighting mode. The truck will first stop, then all 6 wheels will turn 90 degrees so that they lie flat on the street/ground and give the robot enough traction to counter the force that will later be created from the water cannon. Then the large water cannon will raise out of the back/top of the truck. As this is happening, a small scout connected to a hose will disconnect from either side of the truck. These scouts will then navigate themselves to the nearest water source(most likely a fire hydrant) and connect, giving the robot more water. Then the large turbine mounted between the cannon and the two large pressurized tanks on the truck will start. This turbine will be what propels the water out of the cannon. The cannon will activate and water will fly from it and onto the burning building. When the cannon begins firing the front of the truck will actually seperate from the main truck body. This will form the rescue pod and will contain the human firefighters inside. This rescue pod will be equipped with its own small tank for clearing a pathway through the fire for it to navigate. It will also have two large robotic arms that are controlled by the firefighters from inside the pod. The arms will be able to safely clear a pathway. The firefighters will be able to use this pod to clear debris, rescue anyone inside, and put out nearby fire with much more safety.
I know that this is a very long and confusing explanation but it will make much more sense when I show concepts(which I plan to do soon!). I am really trying to let my imagination loose on this one so there are sure to be plenty of crazy gadgets on this thing. As long as I can keep it original and do my best I know I will be happy. Please give any C & C you can if you can decipher my description. Concepts coming soon!

[surfer14]

?????? **scratches his head for a while**

i like the concept. kinda hard to read but i think i seem to get it.
but to me it seems to be controled by human beings more than
robotic instincts IF you KNOW what I MEAN. I don't know????????????...........maybe I am just thinking too hard??????
could be................................................ ...........................................
MAybe you can give him arms and some simple eyes if you haven't already,...... just to give others the thought that it is a Robot instead of a Machine that is worked by man...
it seems pretty cool ..................I LIKE IT:tup:
i think you should just give yourself the thought that it is a Robot that fights a fire and transports FIRE FIGHTERS..........that would make it alot easier for the fire fighters instead of them having to control the BOT itself.....OR maybe i just wrote all of this for nothing because I misunderstood your consept ........LOL

[surfer14]

i would like to see some sketches too

AND WHATS HAPPENING OVER HERE IT SEEMS LIKE NO ONE IS COMPETING here in Simply Lightwave......
COME ON PEOPLES!!!!!!!!

[colto]

Thank you for the reply. I see what you are saying, and I agree! I have decided that it wont use human firefighters at all. The rescue pod and main body could be completely controlled by itself eliminating the risk of firemen being killed in the line of duty. As for the eyes and arms it will appear very much as if he has both. The scout robots that disconnect from either side of the robot will seem very much like arms with the hoses and the scouts themselves will seem like hands as the will attach to firehydrants almost as if grabbing them. It wont have eyes exactly but the wheels that fold down will look like legs. I can see how one can find it hard to "see" what I am trying to explain. Hope for concept sketches tomorrow!