Did anyone else notice the mechanum forklift in one of the loading bay scenes?
im guessing it was an airtrax
I was wondering how many other robotics kids would spot that! Gary (GUI) and I were sitting next to each other in the theater and we both pointed at the screen when it popped up. Nice to see that technology is still around 250 years from now!
I was also guilty of pointing this out while watching Star Trek, thought it was kinda funny, and it certainly makes a neat forklift. 
Dan and I did the same. Lol.
I was sitting next to my brother Kellen (hill on cd) and we pointed it out at the exact same time
Guilty… I pointed it out to Brandon…
My brothers didn’t understand why I started laughing in the middle of the theater. Needless to say I felt like a nerd.
I immediately pointed out to my wife.
PS What a great movie.
Watching Star Trek wasn’t enough to make you a nerd? 
I must of missed this, but I figure that just gives me an excuse to watch it again.
I started to point it out to the person I was with, then changed my mind… they weren’t on the screen very long, barely long enough for a normal person to realize they were different, and any explanation further than “we use those funky wheels in robotics” would’ve gotten in the way of the movie…
Awesome movie, by the way. I was wondering how long it would take for a ST thread to show up here.
I’m so glad other people noticed the Airtrax forklifts too!
Star Trek XI was a fantastic movie. I brought (dragged in one case) a group of my college friends along with me to see it… even the one I dragged along was blown away! I felt like it was what the 60s Star Trek could have been, if it actually had a big budget.
…the other thing that really made it for me was the more believeable starships… i.e., phasers were on turrets instead of just majically firing in the right direction, engineering actually had a bunch of framing and pipes instead of a columt with blinking neon lights on it, beaming takes time, etc.
Characters were sweet too (Checkov!) but I wont start, I’m already off topic.
-q
… and the technology.
Yes…Saw it with a group of robotics nerds. The reaction was the same throughout…
Also…did anyone notice the Randy Pausch Cameo?
I noticed it too. I didn’t go with FIRSTers, so I just said “mecanum drive!” and they looked at me funny.
Fun, but not great, movie.
I spotted them too (thanks to this thread), and nudged ChrisH, who pointed them out to KarenH, who was on the other side of him.
I can also confirm that it was an Airtrax lift; I was joking to ChrisH afterwards that I should see about buying stock in said company.
I guess I’ll have to see it again too.
Well, I’ve finally found the thread that provoked the nudging in the theater…
…And I decided to view the video. About 1:15 into it, where they take “a 40 foot long beam… through a 10 foot wide door,” I found a robotics application. When setting up and tearing down the field at FRC competitions, we often persuade the forklift operators to help us move the rolls of carpet. In case you don’t know, the carpet is usually the hardest part of the field to deal with–very heavy, flops in the middle, and has no wheels. The forklift people love to help us–it’s definitely a chance for them to show off their skills handling a very awkward load. Now we know the perfect forklift for handling the carpet!
If it’s good enough for Star Trek, it’s good enough for FRC.
yup. i saw it right as the forklift did that spin and strafe maneuver
AirTrax stock is up 50% this week, but you can still get over 180 shares for a dollar.
Noticed it and mentioned it to all of my college friends, who confirmed for me that I am still a complete nerd.
The other piece of technology that made me gitty was Kirk’s motorcycle, which I noticed used hubless wheels. There have been a few prototype cycles like these in the past but none have taken off due to the design posing more difficulties than benefits; still quite a sight though.