Robots — Q101 The Alternative

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Navy Robots? Testing? Brian Heater of Engadget tells us about the United States Navy’s autonomous robot testing facility:

All the fun of the desert and the rainforest from the (relative) comfort of home? Sign us up. That’s the promise offered by the admittedly awesome named Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research(that’s LASR, for you abbreviators out there), first announced last month. The robotics lab, housed in a $17.7 million building at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC, offers up around 50,000 square feet, a portion of which is aimed at reproducing some of the Earth’s more extreme ecosystems to test out naval robotics. The facility is home to firefighting robots, swimming ‘bots and hydrogen fuel cell-powered unmanned aircrafts, to name but a few.

The Naval Research Laboratory opened the doors of the massive facility up to members of the media today, and Engadget was on-hand along with a moderate sized gathering of fellow reporters. Included in the tour were two simulated environments. The Tropical High Bay is designed to mimic rainforest terrain, with flowing water, fog and climate controlled temperature and humidity. The Desert High Bay is a bit let complex in its environmental simulation, limited to a sand pit, rock way, and adjustable light, smoke and wind.

How Voltron Came To Be Is Coming To The Comic Shelves

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28 years ago, a delightful little show about 5 people piloting giant robot lions came into our homes. When it was necessary, these 5 lion formed into a giant, colorful kick-ass robot named Voltron. An action backed cartoon that helped bring the wave the 80′s animation and toy craze. The original cartoon faded from the airwaves, but the following and love still remain strong.

Enter Dynamite Comics, a comic publisher that last year put out a Voltron comic series, that was welcomed with a lot of fanfare for its sharp, colorful art, and story lines that gave more depth than a 30 second episode flashback, and the following battle with a “Robeast”. Taking the popularity of their Voltron series and running with it, Dynamite is putting out a “spin-off” title called Voltron: Year One, which will look into the past with greater detail of the 5 pilots that became The Space Squadron that saved the universe on countless occasions.

“The Voltron property is at its resurgent height right now in terms of the new toys, cartoons, comics, etc., so as the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot. We’re forging new backstories for all of the main players with Voltron: Year One.” Said Dynamite editor Joe Rybandt.

There is of course, the current cartoon, entitled Voltron Force, but it is not tied into the comic universe, but this series will be tied heavily into the original series. Watch for the 1st issue coming soon!

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