Awesome Robots

Solving Sudoku is trivial for this LEGO robot by Hans Andersson; the hardest part is image recognition, accomplished with a light sensor and several algorithms. Thanks, Nurgak!

Complete with a child named Seira and a ceremonial bow before the 59-foot mobile suit, there’s no topping this real-life Gundam Wedding for the awesomest (and tallest) venue ever.

After a day spent serving their human overlords, even the best programmed robots need a little prime time down time; My Favorite Program is dedicated to robots that serve robots.

Designed to emulate a real bug (well, one loaded with caffeine), the Phasma is a six-legged robot with stainless steel springs and rubber joints to reproduce the movement of animals.

Now that Avatar’s trailer is out, let the toy onslaught begin: this AMP maquette is based on the 14′ suits used in the film, albeit scaled down to 21″ but still tipping the scales at 12 lbs.

Had James Cameron created the original Terminator in 2004 instead of 1984, it likely would be like this Textinator t-shirt; then again, Hasta La Vista, Baby might simply be TTYL kthxbye.

Those freaky robo-squid from The Matrix still give us nightmares, but they’ll be out later this year in wicked 1:16 Sentinel figures; each sports fully articulating tentacles and mandibles.

iRobot’s new Warrior 700 is actually a robot carrier: it’s able to stand on its treads and deliver a PackBot through windows, minimizing the need for humans to make risky sorties.

Finnish artist Markku Lahdesmaki’s art features a googly-eyed robot with a frightening resemblance to Futurama’s Bender; it’s still pretty cool, albeit pricy at 3-4 figures a piece.

Slightly NSFW: The voice acting is hammy and it starts off slow, but The Seafarer redeems itself in the second half: think giant robots with laser beams, machine guns and cannons.

The Revolutionary War would have gone very differently for the Yanks had the Tories fielded giant, church-smashing robots: Twenty If By Giant Robot is Revere’s ride, steampunk style.

The classic duel has gone the way of the dodo, but A Gentlemen’s Duel updates the age-old tradition with 50′ tall steam-powered mechas; it’s an animated short film by Blur Studio.

It won’t force push (unless you include the Padawan turncoat), but Darth Vader’s battery-less Robotic Arm is made with 45 snap-together parts and can extend, turn and grasp objects.

Available today (7/26) only: Winter Artwork’s BTR FSTR STRGR tshirt is equal parts Soviet propaganda and retro-robot lovin’ with a bit of Daft Punk and Red Alert for good measure.

We’ve seen several versions of the Robots in Disguise meme in recent weeks, but BustedTees has the best t-shirt by far; nice try, Optimus, but unlike Groucho you’re not getting a cigar.

If building an army of 59-foot tall, life-sized robots is out of your price range, Paper Robots is a suitable alternative: it includes 14 robot templates that can be built using rubber bands.