BBC: Giant Robot Escapes, Still at Large

[htuttle]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/south_yorkshire/3060297.stm

Robot balloon escapes

Two airports have been alerted after a giant robotic balloon escaped from a science centre in South Yorkshire.

Staff at the Magna Science Adventure Centre, in Rotherham, were forced to inform aviation authorities after the "flyborg" floated off into the sky as it was being moved.

<snip>

The flyborg has a computerised brain which allows it to avoid obstacles.

A spokesman for Magna said: "Two technical staff were moving a flyborg - an artificially intelligent flying robot airship filled with conventional party-balloon gas - into the main Magna building.

<snip>

"The two technicians held on to the airship's gondola but were surprised by a very strong freak gust of wind which ripped the airship out of their hands and sucked it up into the air, leaving them holding the gondola."

<more at link>

[Loonman]

1. Gigantor!

I wonder if it's a "thinking" robot.

We have those now.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,645431,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/20/1023864460978.html

[Archae]

2. I hope it's not like the last time.

Last time that happened in England, it nearly started WW3 and was destroyed with rust bacteria.

(Let's see who remembers this!) :-)