Re: DARPA patent application
 

OK, so now I guess we know that it's a real idea for people...

But... the first think I thought of was - this would be an AWESOME way to deliver a PackBot or Talon robot in a SWAT situation.

PackBot: http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=109
Talon: http://www.foster-miller.com/lemming.htm

Re: DARPA patent application
 

If I designed this system it would definately have a crank on the side

that you have to turn 10 times to release the trigger

and it would go "Do Dut - Do Dut - Do doody do Dut! (all around the mullberry bush....)"

hey, theres the perfect name for this system "Cop in a Box!"

the box would be bullet proof, the guy turning the crank would be on the side away from the building

it could be painted with flowers and rainbows and stuff

and the perp in the building would be looking out the window going "WTH is THAT?!"

Re: DARPA patent application
 

I just used this as a fun little bonus in my Principles of Engineering class. I had the kids figure out how far from the building the base would need to be & calculate the velocity of the projectile in ft/sec & MPH.
All I know is I don't want to be launced at that speed at the side of the building. I wouldn't need a bullet proof vest I would need bullet proof shorts.

Re: DARPA patent application
 

You mean, it's not a self-balancing crash dummy?!

This whole thread has me in stitches!

Last time I saw Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey, they DID launch a lady. EricH says it was from a catapult, not a cannon. But they preceded the lady's moment of stardom with a parade, music, elephants, and such-like hoopla, as only a circus can do. When they finally launched her, it was just a short POOF. "That's IT?" Not a big deal at all.

So I suppose a well-managed launcher could surprise the villains, after all (if that is its intended use).

Re: DARPA patent application
 

well, honestly, I was kind of thinking the crash dummy was
a John Wayne crash dummy and could possibly take that 'one leisurely step' a little stiffly a la crash dummy/John Wayne. Not sure about the underpants part though - never thought of John Wayne in underpants so I got sort of stuck in the visual.
--
I could see this having lots of uses.

Re: DARPA patent application
 

I just heard about this oddball contraption on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me on NPR (and their game "Bluff the Listener.") and I first thought it was a joke. Then I thought with the high school physics I have learned in mind...

Gee... this could work out... never really thought about it before... nah, can't be true... and then the result...

It was the true story.

:ahh::yikes:

I just fear birds getting in the way of the human projectile. But that I hope will be watched for when playing around *cough* I mean using the device.

Really? It lives? I mean, you siad it works, but it lives as well??? So tell me, how does it feel? What is it thinking about right now? Does the laucher have any opinions about who to first launch? And if it does, does it have any preference on how to launch him and where?

And gee, I must ask, besides breathing for pnumatics, does anyone feed it anything? :D

Re: DARPA patent application
 

We could have used one of those on our robot this year! :p

Re: DARPA patent application
 

Its been a little bit for this thread since the last post.. but I just saw this on HSW SWAT's idea for DARPA's "man-cannon"

Enjoy :)