Meet the Tachikoma! [Video]

[standalonehuman]

The video is coming from user: Hitori Togusa, but the camera is focused on a blue spider-tank. The best approximation of a face is the round spherical bowling ball on its front, the holes turn and swivel to show where it is looking. Two arms on the front have claws that move and gesture, close enough to hands. But the tank is lying down, because one of its large legs on the back is clearly damaged.

But the tank is talking. Its voice is high-pitched, almost sweet, like a young girl's.

"What is the purpose of this?"

Togusa's voice cuts in. "Just introduce yourself. Last month was strange and dangerous, so if something weird happens again, I want all my friends to know that you're supposed to be here, and you'll protect me, so you don't get attacked again."

"Oh!" The tank's whole body perks up, then slumps back down because it tried to put weight on its damaged leg. "Hello!" The tank waves one claw at the camera.

"I am a Tachikoma! A multi-ped combat tank assigned to Mister Togusa as my primary user! I am still collecting data on the city, there's so much to learn and experience! But right now, I have to stay at the police station." Its tone turns almost dejected about that.

The camera turns around to see Togusa's face. "So. It can't do anything that I don't order it to. It's safe, and it'll protect me, or anybody else that I tell it to. But it got damaged last month." He looks a little sheepish.

"If anybody has experience working with robots, or even cars, I'll take anything. The Tachikoma has its own schematics loaded onto it, it can even help with its own repairs. But I don't have near the skill to fix it."

The camera turns back around to show the Tachikoma. "In the meantime, the Tachikoma here can't access the network directly, it can't see it, just like any other non-user. So, if you have any questions for it? I can ask them for you and relay the answers."

Comments

[thesettingsun]

Hi, Tachikoma, it's nice to see you again.

[Since the first time they met, Shuji was a little occupied with fighting virus bugs and all that stuff.]

You're a Tachikoma, you said, so do you have a personal name? Or designation, whatever works.

[commandertoolbelt]

oh my god please let me work on it

[alitaba]

it's so cute!!!!
i love Tacchi already

leo's got the hard part covered but if you're ever in the need debugging help...... (•̀∀•́)و

[blondferret]

OK, I have a few comments...

1) That voice does not match what it looks like. It's a bit jarring.

2) What all does it do? And what kind of data does it collect?

3) Not that I can help much on fixing... it? But it would be really neat if I could take a look at the mechanics of it.