By Richard HebertPosted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:27 GMT
Err nice suit but where are the batteries ? and how much do they weight to assist a worker for a half day ?
will he have to carry an ac cord around the feild ? Dosen't look too comfortable either.For now it's certainly a curiosity and research item but imho .. we're far from the bionic farmer taking his cows in by throwing them over his shoulder :)
By Anonymous CowardPosted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:37 GMT
This reminds of an entertaining case of hard "gardening work" I observed in Bulgaria around 15 years ago. New tennants moved into the cafe across the street from where I worked and tried to put the garden in front in order. Part of this involved digging up and cultivating a patch of soil that was used as a path by all students going back and fourth to one of Sofia University departments for the last 10 years. It was compacted so well that you could probably drive a shuttle transporter across it without it giving away.
So 4 fit muscled blokes (really tough and mean looking) tried to dig the patch up to saw a lawn. By the end of the first morning they barely did a couple of square meters. At that point they left it. Next day a 70-year or so old looking gran in a headscarf, all bent at the back and barely walking with a walking stick showed up. She had the entire patch dug up and cultivated in 2 hours.
Manual "hard" agricultural work is actually skilled labor. It does not matter how strong you are and how much of exosceleton assistance you are getting. A 70 year old gran from a 5th world country can happily overtake you because she actually knows how to achieve most with minimum effort. Their services also tend to cost less than an those of an exosceleton warrior.
By Paul StephensonPosted Wednesday 14th January 2009 13:15 GMT
I don't get it, how exactly does this aid the wearer? By offering support for the posture of the person or by providing a bit of extra umph for pulling up said spuds? I'm assuming the former....
By CockKnockerPosted Wednesday 14th January 2009 17:27 GMT
Dont care about picking sprouts or digging them up but if I buy one can I jump a hundred feet, kick down walls, pickup a car, fly, or at least something cool? If not I think im gonna pass...
By MikePosted Wednesday 14th January 2009 18:40 GMT
I worked agricultural jobs as summer work while a teenager (picking strawberries, picking apples, picking tobacco (yes, tobacco)), and I would have been fired if I worked that slowly.
By BountyPosted Wednesday 14th January 2009 18:47 GMT
it shows him kinda struggling to pull up a plant, but it doesn't show him wearing gloves, or grimacing... meaning it wasn't hard to pull up. I think a better gadget for that kind of farmer would be a small bag with some hand tools. They could save up 11,000$ per farmer and eventually buy a tractor. ohhhhh fancy
Comments on: Robotic exoskeleton gets gardening job
Well, obviously... #
By Dr Patrick J R Harkin Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 09:26 GMT
Dig up sprouts..? #
By James Hughes Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 09:49 GMT
Oh yeah Lol #
By Lionel Baden Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:20 GMT
This could have made a great RoTM article #
By Adam Foxton Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:24 GMT
Batteries ? #
By Richard Hebert Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:27 GMT
Sprouts? #
By Duncan King Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:28 GMT
Alternatively, import a kosovan granny for 1000 #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:37 GMT
Gardeners World #
By Samuel Williams Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:37 GMT
I read this and think: #
By TeeCee Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 10:50 GMT
sprouts #
By Chris Collins Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 11:28 GMT
amazing #
By N Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 11:29 GMT
Do the robot?! #
By vale Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 11:43 GMT
eh? #
By Paul Stephenson Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 13:15 GMT
But... butt? #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 14:39 GMT
I'll wait for firmware 2.0 #
By Evil Graham Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 16:29 GMT
@Lionel Baden #
By Cris Wilson Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 17:26 GMT
can i... #
By CockKnocker Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 17:27 GMT
Fired #
By Mike Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 18:40 GMT
fail #
By Bounty Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 18:47 GMT
How long... #
By Neoc Posted Wednesday 14th January 2009 22:45 GMT