Speaking of Transformers...

[KarlOmega1]

Ever since I watched Transformers, there's been questions on my mind about the possibilities of creating transforming robots. Does Humanity have the technology to do it? Do we have enough scientific knowledge to create them? And if so, how long do we think it'll take until someone builds them (on the human scale and up)?

I posted this topic in order to have a discussion about the subject. For it vexes me... I do Believe we are close to having the technology to build such machines, however...the scientists on this world probably think we're not ready for such things, hence the lack of info on it.

What do you guys think about it? We might not have the Programming capabilities to build sentient Transformers...so we might just build human-piloted/remote-piloted ones. (like Mobile suits).

[xHaZxMaTx]

I have no doubt in my mind that it's possible (not nearly as advanced as in the movie, but possible, nonetheless), but I do doubt anyone serious enough and with enough money cares.

[RJ]

[Zedd]

Loving it RJ

[RJ]

I so wish I had that costume...

Or maybe a giant transforming Pocky box... or a giant Death Note. That'd be so awesome.

[Xuzaf D]

Human scale transformers I haven't seen, but I did once own a toy called "Voicebot."

All I could find concerning said subject:



Doesn't it look ever so menacing?

[Zedd]

I had voicebot..Then he broke about 5 days later..Darn slave labor!

[Xuzaf D]

I owned mine until the batteries burned his ass from the inside. either that or he died in the stretch arm strong explosion of '97... I can't say either way...

[KarlOmega1]

I forgot to put the " (Serious Discussion)" in the Title of the topic, didn't I?

...crud...oh well.

[techmaster-glitch]

Don't worry. I'll be serious.

We actually probably have the theories on how to make such things work, we just don't have the technology to actually create something like that. There are actually a lot of 'sci-fi' things that are theoretically possible. Examples:


A lightsaber. Those badasses are indeed theoretically possible to make. What they are is a magnetic field so strong it is able to hold together light so well that it not only become coherent, it becomes 'solid'. We just do not have the technology required to make such a powerful beam of light, and an exponentially more powerful magnetic field, and make them so small they both fit on your belt. That is a LONG way off.

Star-drives in various sci-fi works. Many are theoretically possible, like the classic warp-bubble, a.k.a. simply know as the 'warp drive', Hyperspace drive/Nodespace drive/Z-space drive/Subspace drive (all essentially the same thing), hypergate/wormhole gate/teleportation gate (similar, but not quite the same), stutterwarp, ect.

Laser/Plasma weapons. These actually are not science fiction anymore. They are real. Well, the weaponized lasers at any rate. It's just that they are so hard and expensive to build, terrible effectivness-to-effort need to use ratio, and burn out fast. They can be perfected, when our technology advances enough to solve all the current problems, but for now, we are seriously struggling with them. Still nice to know that they exist, though.


The thing is, our scientists, working with the creative writers, have come up with all kinds of crazy crap that is theoretically possible. We just do not simply have the technology needed to create things like that, which why, for now, they remain science fiction.

[Faerie Alex]

I think that part of the problem for transforming robots would be why? What could they do that couldn't be done by something simpler (and thus likely, cheaper)? As far as AI, I think it's possible, but we're not there yet. So far, computers can do a lot, but they can't learn yet.

...Perhaps the AI computers could tell us why we need transforming robots?

[techmaster-glitch]

Oh the asnwer to that question is easy: For the pure awsomeness of it!!!!

But seriously. Why? Just to show ourselve that we can. That is the reason for alot of things humanity does; just because we can.

[superluser]

Ever since I watched Transformers, there's been questions on my mind about the possibilities of creating transforming robots. Does Humanity have the technology to do it? Do we have enough scientific knowledge to create them?

THEY'RE ALREADY BUSY COLONIZING OTHER PLANETS! (I do believe that's a NASAMV)

[xHaZxMaTx]

Why? Just to show ourselve that we can.

Just like the Bugatti Veyron.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

THEY'RE ALREADY BUSY COLONIZING OTHER PLANETS! (I do believe that's a NASAMV)

I preferred this one.

[superluser]

I preferred this one.

He asked about real-life transforming robots.  That is neither real life, nor a transforming robot.  Not a bad video, but I was just looking for a Mars Pathfinder video.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

;-]

[rabid_fox]

A lightsaber. Those badasses are indeed theoretically possible to make. What they are is a magnetic field so strong it is able to hold together light so well that it not only become coherent, it becomes 'solid'. We just do not have the technology required to make such a powerful beam of light, and an exponentially more powerful magnetic field, and make them so small they both fit on your belt. That is a LONG way off.

Also, imagine how many AA batteries you'd go through.

Question to the OP - why in the name of God would anyone with enough brains to actually create a giant, sentient robot capable of camoflauging itself intimately in any given contemporary setting use said brains to actually create said giant, sentient robot capable (observe as I toy with near-synonyms) of hiding itself where we live?

[techmaster-glitch]

I already said. Whoever does do that, does it to prove that they can.
I'm not joking.

[Boog]

I have an answer as to why the AI; the transformers we all know and love from the shows and toys have actual personalities capable of learning and creativity. At the rate we're going at, meeting other sentient life is a long, LONG way off if we ever accomplish it at all. If we can't find other life out there, it would make some sense to build it here just for another proverbial perspective.

[Fuyudenki]

Man, I go away for one little national holiday, and i miss most of the thread!

transformer comic

I remember that.  I love it!

Speaking of which, RJ, how were you able to watch and review the Transformers movie 4 days prior to opening day?(I haven't seen it yet, or I'd have posted this question in the spoiler-laden review thread)

[rabid_fox]

I already said. Whoever does do that, does it to prove that they can.
I'm not joking.

True that, actually. If there was a "Explodes Universe" button, someone'd press it just to say that they'd pressed it.

[KarlOmega1]

I have an answer as to why the AI; the transformers we all know and love from the shows and toys have actual personalities capable of learning and creativity. At the rate we're going at, meeting other sentient life is a long, LONG way off if we ever accomplish it at all. If we can't find other life out there, it would make some sense to build it here just for another proverbial perspective.

Cookie for Boogeyman here...because he stated one of the thoughts in my head.

[Eibborn]

Speaking of which, RJ, how were you able to watch and review the Transformers movie 4 days prior to opening day?(I haven't seen it yet, or I'd have posted this question in the spoiler-laden review thread)

Although this is directed at RJ, I hope she won't mind me answering: Australia got it before us, those lucky bugs. It was released there before July even began.

As for making transformers, I'll have to agree with modelincard- Why the heck would you want to do that? It would cost waaaaay more money than it would be worth, even considering the novelty of having the only 'transformer' on the planet. The only people who'd consider it worthwhile are avid collectors, and they're too busy spending all their money on the models.

[xHaZxMaTx]

It would cost waaaaay more money than it would be worth...

Just like the Bugatti Veyron.

[RJ]

Speaking of which, RJ, how were you able to watch and review the Transformers movie 4 days prior to opening day?(I haven't seen it yet, or I'd have posted this question in the spoiler-laden review thread)

Although this is directed at RJ, I hope she won't mind me answering: Australia got it before us, those lucky bugs. It was released there before July even began.

;D Yup, Australia hit the jackpot for once.

Or I've got secret underground Transformer connections.

[Toric]

Theoretically, a Transformer-esque camouflaged robot could have some uses. Imagine James Bond in the future riding a car that can unfold spider-legs from under its chassis to traverse rocky, uneven surfaces that would be impossible for a car to cross, or other such useful functions that can be hidden in a normal-looking car. The two main impracticalities I can see would be an overly complex and expensive AI and a humanoid shape. It's never going to pass for a real human, so unless there are already public humanoid robots, there would be no reason for a transforming robot to be humanoid other than some specific purpose or simply for aesthetic preferences (This is something I can easily see Japanese robotics doing). The AI is impractical, at least for now, because we are nowhere near the capacity for programming independently-acting robots that intelligently respond to the wide variety of situations an autonomous being comes across. It could be possible eventually, but in the near future (that is, the next two or three decades as a vague guess), I imagine that anything along this idea will just be a portable toolbox or supplement to a human counterpart.

[EvilIguana966]

To put it simply: no.  We are not anywhere near being able to develop a real world autobot.  The first problem, as I see it, is bipedal locomotion.  Our machines use wheels or tracks because they work better than any other mechanical means of locomotion.  We have walking robots now, but they are not what you would call graceful.  They move slowly and ponderously and tend to have trouble getting up from certain types of falls.  When you look at how we, as humans, do it, you'll notice that our legs have many more points of articulation than any mechanical substitute does.  It's just not feasible to build a mechanical limb that complicated and still have it be robust enough to survive any kind of repeated use.  Small servo motors have power limitations and hydraulics/pneumatics take up too much space.  Another problem with walking is that it causes a lot of stress on the leg, mechanical or otherwise.  We can get away with using our legs strenuously because they are made up of living tissue that constantly repairs itself.  If any one element in a mechanical leg breaks, the whole thing is shot and it does NOT repair itself. 

Your second major problem is one of space.  Allow me to elaborate.  Optimus Prime clearly has more to him than your average semi tractor, yet as long as he is in truck form all of that is hidden.  When we build a vehicle, we try not to waste any space, so there in not enough room in a car for all the excess equipment necessary to transform into a giant robot at our current level of technology.   We would need to be able to seriously miniaturize all the existing stuff in a vehicle in order to be able to fit the joints, motors, electronics, etc without them being obvious to an untrained observer. 

[techmaster-glitch]

Article: Hammerspace
Subarticle: Similar Concepts

Impossible item carrying doesn't need to be inexplicable. Some fiction settings address the matter by any of various means, creating what isn't Hammerspace but can work in much the same way.

• Animorphs and Transformers use extra-dimensional storage areas to explain changes in mass and parts lost in shapeshifting. It has also been used to explain the oft-questioned disappearance and re-appearance of Optimus Prime's trailer during transformation. In honour of this, many fans have unofficially dubbed this extra-dimensional space "Trailerland".

Space no problem
Or as Rammy might say;
Space no Jutsu

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

It's just not feasible to build a mechanical limb that complicated and still have it be robust enough to survive any kind of repeated use.

It's not feasible to have it as a human leg, either. It works fine, for short periods of time, but strenuous use will break it easily. Just ask any American Football jock - knees are tender.