14 DAY TRIAL // People with a certain specialization usually operate within that specialization for the rest of their lives, but there are exceptions, and some of those exceptions can lead to the creation of some truly magnificent things.
One of those exceptions is Kazuhiko Kakuta, a medic that also happens to be quite involved in 3D printing technology, since it's his favorite hobby.
Moreover, he appears to have a very good grasp of mechanics, as well as electrical science, as he was able to create one of the most complex and impressive electromechanical objects yet.
Specifically, he was able to put together a robotic bird that flies through the air like it was naturally born for such a thing.
The 3D printed robot bird
Kazuhiko make the bird in such a way that he is able to control it remotely. Sure, the bird does have a look similar to an airplane from above, but that's probably just because of the bland white color.
If the man had taken the time to paint the result, it could have looked a lot more like the real thing. Besides, airplanes were inspired by birds in the first place anyway.
The video embedded below shows the bird flapping merrily all over the place, under the watchful guidance of the part-time inventor.
A Shapeways 3D printer was used to produce most of the parts, although the processing and electrical components had to be bought separately.
It's a pretty high bar to set for this sort of thing, especially since robotic engineering isn't even Kazuhiko Kakuta's primary occupation. We suppose there's a good reason the Japanese are considered the world's foremost experts in all things robotic.
The other object that the medic invented
If you've ever seen the Castle in the Sky anime, you'll probably recognize the thing in the second video below. This one has a pair of even more intriguing flappers, whose ability to soar is just as amazing as that of the bird.
Unfortunately, we're not sure what the height limit is for either of these things, exactly, and the charge life will depend on what battery you install. Fortunately, the videos suggest that the robotic flying machines can reach very high indeed, since they become tiny specs in the sky.
The mechanical bird can be found on the doctor's own web page, as can the other thing. Now let's hear those Flappy Bird jokes. Come on, you know you want to crack at least one.
