Standing tall, the big blue robot reaches 11 feet and can scoot at nearly 20 mph. But when it morphs into a car, it can carry two passengers and move at nearly 40 mph. Say hello to the real life transformer under development in Japan.Project J-Deite, by Brave Robotics and Asratec Corporation, is a plan to build this 1,500-pound transformer by 2017. The two companies revealed a prototype version last October. This week, they announced their intention to build one four times bigger that can transform in just 10 seconds. Says the Wall Street Journal:J-deite is the brainchild of Brave Robotics’s Kenji Ishida, who has been working to build a transformable robot since his teens, according to his biography on the company’s website. It’s unclear at this point whether the machine will be commercially available. The robot is powered by V-Sido operating-system software designed by Asratec. Asratec’s parent, SoftBank, has been investing in robotics, most notably its humanoid robot Pepper.Media Platforms Design TeamMedia Platforms Design TeamMedia Platforms Design TeamThis thing will be starring in a big-budget blockbuster before you know it.View full post on YoutubeSource: Wall Street Journal via GizmodoAndrew MosemanSite DirectorAndrew’s from Nebraska. His work has also appeared in Discover, The Awl, Scientific American, Mental Floss, Playboy, and elsewhere. He lives in Brooklyn with two cats and a snake.
