Disney Working on Robot Stunt Doubles

Remember a month ago when Disney’s Stickman was the best robotic stuntman technology they had? Good times. Things are about to get way more human and way more creepy. Now the company is working on a series of truly acrobatic, humanoid stunt robots with their Stuntronics project.

In the video below, the daredevil robots can be seen doing different acrobatic tricks as they get launched in the air and land in nets. The robots are self-correcting and self-balancing as they hurtle through the air. One of the ‘bots even appears to soar through the air like a superhero – though it can’t land on its own – at least not yet. That one pose that it does in midair reminds me of Iron Man. I predict that by 2044, these things will be zipping around Disney theme parks and occasionally colliding with birds.

Naturally, we can expect to see these robots in their theme parks in the future, as well as acting as stunt doubles in movies. Sorry stuntmen, it looks like you guys and gals are about to be put out of business by robots. Disney is well on the way to becoming Westworld. I just hope we are ready for the robot uprising when it happens.

[via Techcrunch via Gizmodo]

Guy Plays Five Finger Fillet with a Knife-Wielding Robot

Nope. Just nope. You won’t catch me playing the dangerous game of five finger fillet with a robot. I won’t even let a robot hold a knife around me. Are you crazy? Well, this guy must be.


Irfon Automation created this video which shows a subject playing a very risky game of the knife game with their Staubli TX40 robot. The idea is to demonstrate the machine’s speed, precision, and programmability. They also demonstrated how crazy that guy is. Nope. I wouldn’t trust that robot. I don’t care how well programmed it is.

You’ll notice that they didn’t dial up the speed THAT much. Even they don’t trust it fully. I dare this guy to go maximum speed. Just get insurance on your fingers first.

[via The Awesomer via Laughing Squid]

Guy Rides a Logging Machine Like a Rodeo Bull

Mechanical bulls at fairly horrifying and can even potentially kill you. Riding real bulls is even crazier. You know what is crazier than that? Trying to stay in the saddle while the mechanical arm of a logging machine is trying to throw you off of a log that it’s waving around like a conductor leading an orchestra. It is positively petrifying. I wood not try this.


The Dudesons are basically Finland’s version of Jackass. For one of their latest stunts, they used a Ponsse Scorpion harvester in the coolest and most irresponsible way possible. They threw a saddle on a stripped log and tried to ride it for as long as possible without getting thrown off. Or dying for that matter.

It looks both terrifying and fun, and definitely not something anyone should ever try at home.

[via Likecool via Sploid]