Cricket controls robot car

Too_Many_Tools · 2015-12-20 01:56

FYI...

http://www.gizmag.com/bug-racer-cricket-toy-car/40856/

Interesting concept I had not thought of.

MikeDYur · 2015-12-20 02:52

What a crazy idea, let's get into a bugs brain, pretty cool.

kwinn · 2015-12-20 03:17

All you need now is some way to present external stimuli to the cricket and you can apply for a research grant.

MikeDYur · 2015-12-20 04:20

Put a little cranial headwear, some code

erco · 2015-12-20 16:11

I saw this at TRU Friday. I can proudly say that I had nothing to do with the BugRacer/Cricket car at Mattel. It's great they are finally trying something different, but what an odd first step into robotics.

Apparently crickets were chosen because they are germ and disease free, and commonly available. Cockroach Racer probably didn't focus test well with moms, even if in abundant supply.

MikeDYur · 2015-12-20 23:08

erco wrote: »

Apparently crickets were chosen because they are germ and disease free, and commonly available. Cockroach Racer probably didn't focus test well with moms, even if in abundant supply.

I bet you could train a praying mantis to use a steering wheel.

erco · 2015-12-21 01:02

MikeDYur wrote: »

I bet you could train a praying mantis to use a steering wheel.

A mantis would be awesome, but those can bite little hands. The females EAT their men after mating.

MikeDYur · 2015-12-21 01:34

Need a critter that can determine it's own path, a cricket is going to run around mindlessly, can't go to anything higher than a bug or somebody will complain.

msrobots · 2015-12-21 01:54

Mattel should have kept erco.

Mike

erco · 2015-12-21 04:05

msrobots wrote: »

Mattel should have kept erco.

That's just what I kept saying!

Thanks Mike.

Personally, I think a neater product would be the hamster powered walker:

or hamster submarine:

GordonMcComb · 2015-12-21 16:39

I bet a lot of people will just use a cockroach, which are far more plentiful and easier to catch. Unfortunately, roaches are considered far less sanitary, though that really only applies to certain species.

erco · 2015-12-21 18:17

I don't think my medauroidea extradentas would move enough to make a compelling commercial. Quietly gnawing on leaves is a typical day, and eating their newly-shed skin is a pants-wetting, dear-diary day.

Too_Many_Tools · 2015-12-24 00:47

Please consider the cricket's welfare in any experimentation...

Anyone consider modifying a Boebot with a Cricket In Control (CIC)?

Too_Many_Tools · 2015-12-24 00:49

I like the hamster sub...ripe for new mods.

Martin_H · 2015-12-24 11:38

The cricket car and hamster walker would be great gimmicks in a kids movie.

But I think the cricket car needs something. Perhaps a flamethrower?

erco · 2015-12-24 22:20

Fire? GOOOOOOOOD!

This cricket car is marketing research's too-late attempt to jump on the goldfish car bandwagon. Not that anyone was clamoring for a goldfish car anyway....

http://www.cnet.com/news/fish-on-wheels-lets-your-goldfish-steer-their-own-tank/

kwinn · 2015-12-24 23:11

erco wrote: »

Fire? GOOOOOOOOD!

This cricket car is marketing research's too-late attempt to jump on the goldfish car bandwagon. Not that anyone was clamoring for a goldfish car anyway....

http://www.cnet.com/news/fish-on-wheels-lets-your-goldfish-steer-their-own-tank/

Both were pretty silly ideas.

erco · 2015-12-24 23:30

A cricket that controls a robot?

A building that turns into a robot?

I don't get it.

MikeDYur · 2015-12-27 12:45

Turns out scientists have been trying to put lesser creatures in control of machines for years.

MikeDYur · 2015-12-27 18:25

Here's the the end of that article, I missed the last time.

msrobots · 2015-12-28 02:15

why you think a pigeon is a lesser animal then a cricket?

Mike

MikeDYur · 2015-12-28 10:34

msrobots wrote: »

why you think a pigeon is a lesser animal then a cricket?

Mike

Lesser to the human animal, I payed some attention in school, bird's eat bug's, human's eat bird's and bug's, and i'm not crazy about either one of them on my plate, the whole idea of a pigion flying an ICBM on a suicide mission is incredible.

RS_Jim · 2015-12-29 13:19

[/quote]

Lesser to the human animal, I payed some attention in school, bird's eat bug's, human's eat bird's and bug's, and i'm not crazy about either one of them on my plate, the whole idea of a pigion flying an ICBM on a suicide mission is incredible.[/quote]

I think some of the cars around me on the freeway are driven by the above referenced pigeons!
Jim

erco · 2015-12-29 17:31

Here's some backstory: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/28/business/mattel-takes-a-risk-with-barbie-and-bugs.html?_r=0

Martin_H · 2015-12-29 23:51

msrobots wrote: »

why you think a pigeon is a lesser animal then a cricket?

The one who defines the set gets to determine the collating sequence.

MikeDYur · 2016-01-11 00:05

Them scientists are up to something.

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-praying-mantis-3d-glasses-20160108-story.html

Cricket controls robot car

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