Ellen Ripley famously wore one to protect a little girl in Aliens. Video games fans may have guided Solid Snake in his battle to stop a nuclear version in Metal Gear Solid.
But now that long staple of science fiction, the mecha suit, is fast becoming a reality.
The enthusiasts who built this model hope to start selling it – with optional water pistols and mops – once they get all the kinks (perhaps a penchant for destruction) worked out.
A mecha is basically a tall, strong robot, but instead of a robotic brain inside its head, it is powered by the lowly human tucked away inside.
When the human walks, the mecha walks. When the human lifts, the mecha lends its super-strong metallic arms to the task.
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Tech warrior: The Suidobashi Heavy Industry (a group of robot enthusiasts) is in the process of building a 3.8 metre tall ‘mech robot’
But the mecha here, named Vaudeville, is not the work of a high-powered robotics lab, or a model built for a construction firm or space company – it is instead the dedicated work of a group of hobbyiests, bringing their childhood movie-based dreams to life.
And if the Suidobashi Heavy Industry, as the group of enthusiasts call themselves, they get this first model up and running, they hope to sell mechas to the world at large – with optional water-pistols.
The clever 4,500kg project uses off-the-shelf hardware and software to make the mecha powerful.
Sitting in the pilot’s chair, an Xbox Kinect motion-tracking system tracks the head and body movements to make sure the mecha follows the human moves, and a smartphone to interpret movements and send commands to the mecha’s muscles.
Mechas are popular because they assist humans, helping us lift heavy objects as if they were light-weight, and – in the world of sci-fi at least – they are usually armed with weapons to help in space or planetary warfare.
Mech’s finest hour: Sigourney Weaver steps up as Ellen Ripley in Aliens 2
Once this mecha has been tweaked and perfected, future models may be offered for sale, with customised paintjobs.
The makers also suggest accessories such as a water-pistol so mecha can be a fireman, or a mop to help with the cleaning.
Video: Mecha says hello
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