Today being the last day for the life-sized Mobile Suit Gundam RX-78-2 that stands at the Yokohama Factory, the original creator of Gundam; Yoshiyuki Tomino would like to share a few words with all Gundam fans around the world.
"I would like to apologize to you from the very bottom of my heart. You, who came all the way out here to see a life-sized Mobile Suit GUNDAM, only to think to yourself, "What? It doesn't walk. How boring."
Honestly, we wanted to make a GUNDAM this size walk, but the extent of the movements you see here today is all we old men were able to accomplish. Again, lam truly sorry.
A few years ago, a GUNDAM was made that only had a moving head. There were many older men and women who thought it would be good if it moved more.
So, I talked with people who make the construction machinery used when buildings are erected, and with people who make bipedal robots. I then started thinking to what extent we could make the GUNDAM move.
However, I came to understand something. To make the GUNDAM walk, we would need to ensure that it could lift the soles of its-feet off the ground. For a GUNDAM of this size, that would be impossible.
You might be wondering, "Hey, you're finally involved in a project to make a walking robot; why can't you do it?" Well, it is possible to make a human-sized robot walk. However, for a robot the size of the GUNDAM, it would have to lift one of its legs off the ground for a relatively long time, resulting in it toppling over.
So, the results of all the research the team conducted in making a full-scale GUNDAM move are represented by the "movements" you see it make here today.
There are reasons why it only moves as it does.
Things fall to the ground because the Earth has gravity, which pulls things toward it. There is no way to counteract this force.
Conversely, you can place a cup on a table because of gravity.
Tall towers such as Tokyo Skytree are made of steel materials strong enough to prevent them from toppling over. They are built. sturdily enough to withstand strong winds and earthquakes. The foot of such a tower has a very strong foundation that is buried in the ground. Thus, it can never be moved.
A large trailer can be moved. However, wheels are used to keep contact with the surface of the ground. Furthermore, tires are wrapped around the wheels to prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the vehicle body and shaking the load that has been placed on the trailer.
Since the GUNDAM has a human shape, ifit is going to move, that means "walking." However, the biggest drawback to this was that the soles of its feet would have to leave the ground for a long time. Thus, we could not make it walk.
Of course, if sensors that measured the distance to the ground were attached to its feet and it was equipped with a gyroscope to measure overall balance, the generated data could then be collected on a computer. The computer could then, in turn, adjust motors in each part to achieve balance and correct the orientation and incline of the body. However, for a robot the size of the GUNDAM, this would be extremely difficult.
We thought to ourselves, "if only there were lighter materials and better equipment available." However, presently, this is the extent of the movement we could achieve.
Above all, there is no law that will recognize something the height of the GUNDAM as a "vehicle." So it was necessary to construct it according to building regulations, which meant making something that would never fall down. Accordingly, we had to make a GUNDAM that included something like a maintenance tower.
I am disappointed that we couldn't make something that could walk on two legs. So, I have a favor to ask of all of you. Among those of you who want to see the GUNDAM move more like a vehicle, look up at this GUNDAM and realize that there are many problems that need to be solved. And then come up with appropriate solutions.
This is the extent of the movement we could achieve this time; however, everyone involved is very happy that they built it.
Why? Though we could only make a humanoid robot of this size move slowly, that slowness suits it very well and makes one feel that this GUNDAM is very kind and gentle.
If the truth is told, we wanted to make one that could move fast like the character in the anime, as well as smoothly and stylishly like an athlete. However, those aren't the GUNDAM's only defining features, and it makes me rather happy that I can look up and see this "kind and gentle" GUNDAM.
This was something that no one could have fully imagined until we actually made it, but that was a very fun part of the project. I hope you enjoy the finished result.
Thank you for coming to see the GUNDAM here today. It is very much appreciated"
0 comments:
Post a Comment