Muniuliuma 2.0

February 1, 2015 1:40 PM

Chinese retiree builds robotic horse. Inspired by an invention of Three Kingdoms-era chancellor Zhuge Liang, Chinese inventor Su Daocheng spent two months building a petrol-powered rideable robotic horse.
posted by homunculus (18 comments total)

Not exactly general dynamics, but I might prefer my robotic animals on this side of the uncanny valley.
posted by clvrmnky at 1:45 PM on February 1, 2015

Just imagine a whole Mongol horde riding west on these to conquer Europe.
posted by njohnson23 at 1:48 PM on February 1, 2015

HOLY SHIT THAT'S COOL!
posted by Too-Ticky at 1:54 PM on February 1, 2015

Get a horse.
posted by IndigoJones at 2:30 PM on February 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

I just watched Inception and I feel like this is a deleted scene.
posted by lagomorphius at 2:50 PM on February 1, 2015

Chevaline!
posted by infinitewindow at 2:50 PM on February 1, 2015 [3 favorites]

Just what the world has always needed: a horse with a steering wheel.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:37 PM on February 1, 2015

Angular banjos, and gas powered metal horses sound good to me. I love the friendly aesthetic of the horse's head. The whole project is good natured. I have a respect for the individual flourishes, and a person who creates in such a deadpan manner. It seems organic nerdy.
posted by Oyéah at 5:26 PM on February 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

Not exactly general dynamics, but I might prefer my robotic animals on this side of the uncanny valley.

Speaking of which: An Update on Massachusetts-Based Robo-Cheetahs
posted by homunculus at 6:07 PM on February 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

And then Katy Perry modded hers and rode it into the Superbowl, the end.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:35 PM on February 1, 2015 [3 favorites]

It's not the end until the sharks dance.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:41 PM on February 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

He's kind of the Henry Darger of robot horses.

Although that's more of a mechanical, or automatic horse than a robot one. I would have liked to see more of the outbuildings full of golden automata.
posted by glasseyes at 5:12 AM on February 2, 2015

Just what the world has always needed: a horse with a steering wheel.

My great-grandfather bringing home the first vehicle he ever owned, a model T truck, drove it right into a hitching post on the farm after pulling back on the reins steering wheel and yelling, "Whoa!"

I see this guy someday getting on a real horse and stomping on the brakes stirrups and being saved by the horse's common sense to not run into a wall.

I do admire that he just decided, "I'm going to build this thing."
posted by Atreides at 6:42 AM on February 2, 2015

@infinitewindow: Chevaline!

You beat me to it. For those who didn't get the allusion, this is from Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age (see Chevaline), which interestingly is set in large part in a near-future China.
posted by raygirvan at 8:37 AM on February 2, 2015

Nice to see that he still mounted from the left side.
posted by fiercecupcake at 8:57 AM on February 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

And then Katy Perry modded hers and rode it into the Superbowl, the end.

It isn't over until it becomes sentient and starts chasing the football players around the field like mice. That would be an awesome Super Bowl.
posted by homunculus at 10:49 AM on February 2, 2015

I have an image in my mind an awesome owl chasing football players like mice; it looks superb.
posted by acb at 12:22 PM on February 2, 2015

Pony request: the ability to upload mental images.
posted by homunculus at 2:16 PM on February 2, 2015 [1 favorite]