Tuatara
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SSC NA promises a re-run of the Tuatara's top speed record attempt
SSC announced a high-speed record set by its Tuatara hypercar, but video analysis threw their claims and data into doubt. Now SSC founder Jerod Shelby acknowledged the issues, and said they will make another attempt to break the record.
Richard Lawler10.31.2020
The SSC Tuatara has broken 330MPH and shattered a world speed record
On Saturday, a seven-mile stretch of Highway 160 was the scene for the 1,750 HP SSC Tuatara hypercar, as it made a pair of record-setting runs to claim the title of “world’s fastest production vehicle.”
Andrew Tarantola10.19.2020
Robotic tuatara successfully generates research data
Just over two months ago Robo-Ollie, a robotic tuatara, was loosed into the wilderness on Stephens Island in New Zealand, and now that its creator and her colleagues have had a chance to monitor it in the wild, it looks like Mr. Oliver is performing toppingly. Sporting a nickel-cadmium battery, servos, and a rubberized skin suit, the creature has spent its time bobbing its head, gaping its mouth, and providing researchers with some intriguing data about aggressiveness and mating tendencies within the species. Unfortunately, the current iteration is essentially paralyzed from the neck back, and it took its masters a tick to understand how the head bobbing gig was "sending mixed signals" as it showcased feminine tendencies -- but now that he's regained his masculinity, it's on to figuring out what olfaction and infidelity have to do with tuatara life. [Via Digg]
Darren Murph06.09.2007
Robotic tuatara fools males, partakes in social dominance study
Although Wowwee's farm of robotic animals are quite the playful bunch, they aren't exactly prime targets for participating in a biological study of how animals interact in the wild, but Jennifer Moore from Victoria's School of Biological Science is aiming to use a faux tuatara to be the focal point of a new study. Modeled after a highly-regarded and recently deceased tuatara named Oliver, the new creature will purportedly be mingling with others of its kind in order to give a first-hand view on "social dominance and aggression in wild tuatara." Crafted by the Weta Workshop, Robotic Oliver will be used for the first time next month on the tuatara capital of the world, Stephens Island, in order to carefully inspect male mating habits in an effort to "significantly enhance conservation efforts." Of course, utilizing robotic clones for the betterment of a species seems like a brilliant idea, but we should probably all join in unison and hope this same stunt isn't pulled on the human population.[Via RobotGossip]
Darren Murph03.01.2007