Want to play a small part in robot history?
When U.S. MegaBots challenged Suidobashi Heavy Industries to the giant robot duel it captured the imagination of nerds, adrenaline junkies and robot enthusiasts everywhere. And now? Team U.S.A. needs your help ensuring that its burly MegaBot beats the sleek and sexy-looking Japanese robot in this giant robot duel for the ages.
MegaBots launched a Kickstarter to help raise funds to “pay for those upgrades” that will help them defeat Japan, including prepping it for hand-to-hand combat of which the current robot is not prepared for. At all.
In classic American run-your-mouth-before-you’re-ready style, I guess we’re taking the underdog approach of such fight films like Rocky and Karate Kid to try and “wax-on, wax-off” our way to victory?
Your hard-earned dollars will help the MegaBot robot with heavy-duty armor plating, serious firepower, upgraded hydraulics, increased top speed and upgraded power. Those basics will cost a cool $500,000.
Additionally, with a stretch goal of $1,500,000, the makers will test more weapons, improve the robot’s balance, improve the cockpit for safety — NASA has apparently signed on to help them with this, as Popular Science reports here — and “fight with an incredibly sweet paint job. While not strictly required, this is a matter of national pride.”
So far, more than 2,700 backers have funded MegaBots to the tune of over $200,000 with 29 days to go.
If only they’ll make a montage of the fight preparations to that song, “You’re the Best,” life will come full circle. Oh, and beat that robot from Japan.
And now, because you probably need something to power you through the rest of Wednesday:
