MV vs mobile sculpture?

[Shoeshine]

Sorry if this is addressed somwhere, but I am unable to find it.

Is it a mutant vehicle if there is nobody aboard?

I am envisioning this big honking thing, crawling along on multiple legs. It has a good sized eletric motor driven by a bank of golf cart batteries. Lights, gizmos, whirlygigs, the whole nine. But, as I am currently planning, it would be controlled by a tether remote (similar to a chain hoist) i.e. by someone (myself) walking along with it.

To calm any fears, I already have plans for a killswitch and keyed ignition. I have no intention of driving this under the influence, and I have some folk who are stoked to be spotters. Now, as taking this thing out for the day/night would be a major undertaking, I will probably add space for a toolbox, supplies, and of course a cooler (), but no riders.

---so, the $20k question... do I need a DMV permit?

any thoughts?
Thanks
Shoe

[oneeyeddick]

If you can't ride on it , it doesn't go through the DMV.

Register your piece with the Artery if you wanna crawl it around on Playa.

[trilobyte]

I agree with OED, I don't believe that it does. Register it through the ARTery when that opens up, and they can provide you with definitive answers and make sure all the bases are covered. What you've described sounds interesting, can't wait to see/hear more about it!

[Elliot]

I think it has been done, a walking shiny "giraffe" sort of critter.

[Bob]

My interpretation would be that if it's designed to move, start with the DMV and cc: the art department. Unmanned, it's still a vehicle. Make sure you satisfy new and existing criteria for vehicles, eg lighting, speed, where & when you can drive, etc. Registering with the art dept should get it listed as an art installation, and they might have additional pointers on safety and such.

[Ugly Dougly]

It would be cool if you have an art installation that was ready to burn, and an MV that shot flame, initiating the burn. I haven't seen anything like that yet, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done already.

[Elliot]

...an MV that shot flame, initiating the burn.

I think I read that they lit The Man with a jet engine some years ago?

[Shoeshine]

OK cool, thanks for the input.

sounds like artery is my first point of contact. should have probably thought of that first.

I'll report back when I hear anything.

Shoe

[lemur]

the burn of shiva vista stage was initiated by flames coming from a mutant vehicle if i recall correctly..


that was one hot burn,.. woof

[Ugly Dougly]

Didn't mean to derail but it seemed like a cool idea.

[unjonharley]

I think it has been done, a walking shiny "giraffe" sort of critter.

There was a full size metal elephant on year.. The thing only walked about a block and froze up...Hope they got it working again.. The DPW's big fork lift took it back to it's camp..

[moltensteelman]

@Shoeshine
The Mondo Spider has a driver and can not take passengers, they register through the artery as mobile art. If the vehicle can carry passengers or is potentially dangerous do to size like The Walking Beast it should go through DMV. Also at least 4 ground walkers (spotters) are helpfull.

How large are you thinking of making the machine and what linkage system are you thinking of using? I may have some helpfull information on some of the problems a lot off these machines have had in the past.
Welcome to the club I look forward to seeing your creation.

[Shoeshine]

Thanks Molten,

good to know how previous projects have been registered. useful. and those two projects (Mondo and the Beast [ yours?]) are actually a couple of my inspirations for making this piece.

It is smaller in scale than either, though probably has an outside leg sweep similar to the spider. My drawings currently have it @ a footprint of 5' 8" in diameter for the chassis and legs. Probably 6' tall or so in the center with the whirlygig's rotation extending to 7-8' .

The linkages are based on a hexapedal robot created by Jamie Mantzel (youtube him, he is a force of nature) with a couple of modifications I came up with after playing around with some models of Theo Jannsen's straandbeest.

I must say though, that I like many, have not secured tickets yet. So I am kind of waiting to see how STEP and the local market goes before I launch the build.

But thanks, and I'll bring this eventually.

[moltensteelman]

Yes the Beast would be my creation. Another source of info might be Aluminipede they built a Theo Jensen based walking machine that was remote controlled for the playa in 2010. I beleive they had problems with the feet sinking into the playa and with a low step height it caused some binding. Pivoting foot pad would help to increase surface area. I'm not sure if they ever got the problems worked out. Theres a thread on here of their build.
The Beast and the Mondo spider are both using Klanns linkage witch gives a higher step height but requires more power to operate and is a little rougher ride. Spring balancing the linkage greatly improves the ride and reduces power required to operate.
I wish you luck on the tickets and if you get the machine built swing by ACME Exploration Corporation camp and we could go for a walk.

[moltensteelman]

Here is a video of the Auminipede

[lemur]

[Shoeshine]

Yeah cool stuff. Funny enough, Rodiponer who built the Auminipede is just a few miles from me here in San Diego.