Yeah, But Can He Survey?

[MA-Caver]

That's the question cavers asked from all over when reading this story about a robot that climbed up a rope out of the Grand Canyon on just one pair of batteries in 7 hours.
Story here:

Robot climbs Grand Canyon with batteries

By YURI KAGEYAMA – 4 days ago
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h2ExyNlJ6IKqJvgp7cl7HyS-NBlwD90UR0RO0
TOKYO (AP) — Watch out Energizer Bunny. Robot Evolta kept climbing and climbing — up a rope dangling from a Grand Canyon cliff for nearly seven hours on a pair of AA batteries that Japan's Panasonic is billing as the world's longest lasting.

To prove how durable its new alkaline batteries are, Panasonic had the 5-ounce, 6.7-inch blue imp clasp a rope with its arms and feet and climb as far and long as it could. That turned out to be some 1,740 feet over the course of six hours and 46 minutes, Panasonic, also known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., said Tuesday.

Cavers ask the question because the robot climbed up the rope very much the same way that most cavers climb on a rope out of pits and shafts underground.
"But can he survey?" is the question (tongue in cheek) to see if the robot can also map out caves, which is considered a very important project by many.

All that just to prove their battery is the best? C'mon, we all know nothing beats the Coppertopped Bunny! :uhyeah:

Picture of the robot... I'm reminded of Astro-boy.

 

[terryl965]

Will wonders never stop

 

[Jai]

Interesting... Caver you made some good points that I think only time will tell for sure

 

[arnisador]

Soon cavers will be out of work! Replaced by robots!

 

[MA-Caver]

Soon cavers will be out of work! Replaced by robots!

Yeah, well at least when I'm old and grey and sittin in my wheelchair I can still cave vicariously via my robot. Probably will have a video camera for one eye and it'll send back feed via super-powered wireless to my monitor back at home and I can guide it where I want it to go with my finger mouse... or eye movements.

Sigh.

Gawd, lets hope it doesn't come down to that.