The first full-sized, mobile, dual-weapon battling MegaBot made its debut at Maker Faire Bay Area on Saturday, firing giant homemade paintballs at a helpless art car (donated for the purpose) and thrilling the crowd with its menacing height and ear-splitting pneumatic cannons.
You’ve probably heard about MegaBots, the proposed giant robot combat league — yes please! — but this is the first time we’ve seen the working prototype robot in action, moving, aiming, and firing. The prototype runs on tracks scavenged from a small bulldozer, but ultimately the plan is for MegaBots to walk on two legs like the giant humanoid mechs we’ve all seen in the movies. Even the tracked version is impressive: It’s got room for a 2-person crew inside — driver and gunner — and it rears up to an imposing height of 15′ when aggravated. The idea of squads of these monsters battling to the death in football arenas is just too good not to happen.
MegaBot co-founders Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein kept the crowd fired up telling the story of the Autodesk-sponsored build while the robot’s air tanks were being pressurized. Then the real show began. In addition to the big-bore right-hand cannon, the MegaBot was firing a revolver-style, magazine-based cannon on the left, designed by Robert Masek, winner of Autodesk’s A360 & MegaBots Design Contest and Engineering Challenge. Robert is also director of the renowned Artisan’s Asylum makerspace in Somerville, Massachusetts. The Pittsburgh Art Car (by Jason Sauer and crew) never stood a chance.
Come check out MegaBots and Autodesk in the South Lot at Maker Faire Bay Area today!
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