British Inventor Creates Sci-fi Vehicle

April 26, 2013 by dracs

Supported by (Turn Off)

Matt Denton, an inventor from Hampshire, has succeeded in creating the sort of vehicle we might otherwise expect only to see in things like Secrets of the Third Reich. Check out his awesome walker, christened "The Mantis".

The Mantis

The Mantis is a hydraulic walker, with a design inspired by science-fiction and insects. It can cover most terrain, is fully mobile and can even manipulate objects with one of its legs.

The Mantis Moving

It is the biggest operational all-terrain hexapod (cue Jeremy Clarkson voice) in the world, weighing just under two tons and powered by a 2.2 Litre Turbo Diesel engine. Matt Denton, who specialises in creating expert animatronics for films such as Harry Potter and Prometheus, estimates that The Mantis has cost him "hundreds of thousands of pounds."

The Mantis Terrain Tests

Now this isn't the first manned sci-fi vehicle based around bugs that we have seen (merely the first real one) as it is rather reminiscent of the spider mechs used by the Soviets in Secrets of the Third Reich.

Soviet Light Spider Mech

So could this mean we could soon see sci-fi spider walkers used in combat?

Unfortunately not, as Denton himself says that the legs are incredibly inefficient. As he himself said to the BBC "the wheel was invented for a reason."

Still, I think I speak for all of use when I say "Can I have a go Mr Denton? Please?"

Supported by (Turn Off)

Supported by (Turn Off)

Supported by (Turn Off)

Related Categories