back to article Mechanical monster macropod LEAPS out of the lab

If you want evidence for the sad state of science in Australia, here it is: the world's first bionic kangaroo has been developed in Germany. Tool-maker turned industrial automation specialist Festo is responsible for the two-year project that's given the world the robot 'roo. Not only has the mechanical macropod a movement …

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  1. Thorne
    Terminator

    I for one....

    Welcome our new robo skippy overlords.......

  2. Evil Auditor Silver badge

    April 1

    Don't worry, the roboroo's for real. Zis was done by ze Germanz, we don't do humour.

    1. Evil Auditor Silver badge
      WTF?

      Re German humour

      Maybe I was wrong, I just discovered the robo's blinking anus.

      1. Thorne

        Re: Re German humour

        I don't know what's more disturbing, the fact that roboroo has a blinking anus, you for spotting his anus or me for watching the video again to confirm his blinking anus.......

        1. frank ly

          Re: Re German humour

          The tail blocks the view of the rear light so it isn't 'street legal' at the moment. Also, it will need white lights shining from its eyes.

          On a separate note, I have a background feeling that much of that video was 'rendered' from CAD models, except for the woman who could have been added in.

        2. LaeMing

          Re: Rear LED

          The light, quite literally, shines out of its.....

  3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    What's that Skippy?

    You don't think it's real?

    German "humor" is a bit of an acquired taste.

    Sadly it's a taste they took with them to the new world and which was subsequently "acquired" by the Americans.

    With "hilarious" consequences*

    My personal favorite was a design to eliminate the pidgin problem using an air tight pidgin coup and a supply of CO2 The presentation had that balletic grace of a slow motion (but inevitable) car crash. .

    1. Alister

      Re: What's that Skippy?

      My personal favorite was a design to eliminate the pidgin problem

      The solution to the pidgin problem is to learn a proper language...

      Pigeons, on the other hand, are more difficult...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What's that Skippy?

        He also said 'coup' which is doubly amusing when read and said. OK, I'll get back to work.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Application?

    So, they're trying to develop a robotic companion that you can send for help when you're out of mobile phone range and inevitably get trapped in a ravine or abandoned mine?

    1. Scroticus Canis
      Devil

      Re: Application?

      Well if it uses Apple Maps it will probably be pointlessly looking for help off road in the big dry when its batteries die. Apart from that just too slow to get the life saving six pack of Fosters back while they're still cold as well as being horribly shaken-up.

  5. Graham Marsden
    Pint

    Strewth...

    ... mate!

  6. Swarthy
    Unhappy

    I am disappointed: after reading the article and the comments, there is no usage of the term 'Roobot.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "What's that Skip? ... Sarah Connor is trapped inside a mental asylum and I have to send you back in time to free her? ... STREWTH!"

  8. D@v3

    at least they gave this thing a face (of sorts). Looks a hell of a lot less sinister than that robotic abomination that is Big Dog

  9. Steven Raith

    What's that skip?

    You want to kill all humans? Well, I'm not sure that's *GGRRAAAK*

  10. TheOtherMe

    Yep that's a wallaby

    Yeah I agree with the author that ain't no 'roo, a small rock wallaby at best.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's fairly obvious really.

    "If you want evidence for the sad state of science in Australia, here it is: the world's first bionic kangaroo has been developed in Germany."

    If it had been developed in Australia it would be riddled with bullet holes before you could finish testing it...

  12. Faceless Man

    There's your problem...

    I can see why it doesn't quite look right. They've got the tail rigid, while if you look at the video of the actual kangaroo, you can see it moves, and flexes, during the hop to stabilise the centre of gravity. Also, the arms should tuck up when it's not using them, as with a real 'roo.

    Oh, hang on, I'm supposed to say something "funny" and not particularly relevant...ahem..."Are they sure it wasn't *Austrian* scientists that built it?"

    Was that OK?

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