While
the Energizer Bunny may get all the fame, Panasonic's "Mr. Evolta"
robot actually gets out and does things. In 2008, powered by two of the company's AA EVOLTA
alkaline batteries, the 17 centimeter (6.69 inch)-tall robot climbed up a 1,640
foot (500 meter) rope suspended in the Grand Canyon. The following year,
pedaling a miniature tricycle, he completed the "24 Hours of Le Mans"
endurance challenge. Last year, he took a leisurely 500-kilometer (311-mile)
stroll along the highway from Tokyo to Kyoto. This year's challenge is a little
different - there will be three EVOLTA robots, and they will be teaming up to complete the
230-kilometer (143-mile) Ironman Triathlon circuit in Hawaii.
The challenge will
include 3.8 kilometers (2.36 miles) of swimming in the open ocean, followed by
180.2 kilometers (111.97 miles) of cycling, and 42.2 kilometers (26.22 miles)
of running. According to the video at the bottom of this page, separate robots
will perform each stage. This is somewhat at odds with the press release, which
states that robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi has designed three suits for the EVOLTA robot.
In any case ... the
swimming robot/suit, which Takahashi says will have the most difficult task,
will be performing the front crawl while buoyed by front and rear pontoon-like
devices. The cycling robot will be assisted by training (sorry, "stabilizing")
wheels on its bike, while the running robot will be inside a rolling hamster
wheel-like gizmo.
Each robot will be
powered by a set of three rechargeable EVOLTA AA batteries. The event will
begin on October 23rd, and the robots will have one week in which to complete
the circuit. They will run continuously, day and night, except for battery
recharging periods.
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