Life imitates art — or at least it seems to in the field of robotics.
A Japanese startup developed a 15-foot-tall robot that can morph into "vehicle mode" like the hit movie series "Transformers," which premiered 16 years ago.
The robot, called Archax, can be operated by a pilot who sits inside, much like the Amplified Mobility Platform exoskeleton suit in "Avatar."
Tokyo-based Tsubame Industries completed its prototype of the robot this summer and plans to sell five for $3 million each, Reuters reported.
The robot maker says on its website that the luxury market, such as "ultra-luxury cars and private jets," is the benchmark of its products, and it assumes its main customers will be wealthy people who will purchase them for domestic rather than commercial use.
The CEO of Tsubame Industries, Ryo Yoshida, told Reuters that it's been in development for two years. "The initial reason for creating it was that I wanted to make a new vehicle," he said. "In addition, Japan is really strong in the animation, games, and robot industries, as well as in automobiles, so I thought it would be great if I could create a product that compressed all these elements into one that says, 'This is Japan.'"
Take a look at Archax, which is set to be unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show later this month.