Is it possible for us to build our own Gundams?

Main Takeaways

If science fiction has shown us anything, it’s that massive, piloted robotic humanoids are crucial to safeguarding everything we cherish.

Facing an invasion by Kaiju from another dimension? Call in the Jaegers. Dealing with Robeasts from Planet Doom? Time to form Voltron. As James Cameron’s "Aliens" demonstrated in 1986, even a noncombat mech suit can be a game-changer against an alien threat.

The RX-78-2 Gundam remains one of the most iconic and influential examples. This legendary piloted giant robot first appeared in 1979 as part of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s "Mobile Suit Gundam" series, which continues to captivate audiences today.

But is it possible for us to build our own Gundams?

The simple answer to this question is yes. Scientists have been exploring the potential of exoskeletons for enhancing human mobility since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Both Russian and American innovators sought to create mechanical suits that would aid human movement. Over the years, progress has been made in the development of exoskeletons for various purposes, including rehabilitation, space exploration, industrial work, and even military combat.

While power armor is an interesting concept, it falls short of being a giant robot capable of walking and fighting. What about true mechas that tower over everything and fight monsters?

Yes, the possibility of giant mechas is not just fantasy. In robotics, there have been significant advances with the development of remote-controlled, autonomous, and semi-autonomous machines. Military drones, for example, patrol combat zones globally, and space exploration probes have sent rovers to other planets. Some of our wheeled robots have even been equipped with arms for tasks such as bomb disposal, collecting Martian soil, and exploring the ocean depths.

However, none of these robotic creations have legs. Even NASA's Robonaut didn't have the ability to climb until its second version. To create a true Gundam-style robot, we'd need advanced walking mechanisms — something that has been a focus of various robotics projects, including Boston Dynamics' military-funded legged robots like BigDog and Cheetah. These are not just famous for their function, but also for inspiring the 'Black Mirror' episode titled 'Metalhead.'

While aerial and aquatic robots can function perfectly without legs, terrestrial robots require them to navigate different environments. Wheels work well on smooth surfaces, but legs offer greater adaptability for varied terrains. Wheels are rarely found in nature, like in the bacterial flagellum, present in species such as E. coli. However, legs are evolution's main answer to movement on land. Biomimetic engineers have taken inspiration from various leg configurations, ranging from humans to millipedes.

Here's the challenge: Walking requires intricate programming and a lot of power. Although it might seem easy for us, our minds and bodies are finely tuned for this task. Even a fully operated Gundam — one whose movements mimic its pilot — would need an immense amount of biomimetic engineering. Semi-autonomous units would also need the agility and spatial awareness to avoid the same issues as the ED-209 from 'Robocop,' which, despite walking on two feet, couldn't manage stairs.

The dream of mechas persists strongly. While robotics companies continue to make strides in this field, sci-fi enthusiasts are also taking matters into their own hands. Functional mecha suits have appeared at Burning Man and various conventions. One of the most notable examples is the life-size Gundam replica built by Japanese engineer Masaaki Nagumo in 2018. Named LW-Mononofu, it stands 28 feet tall (8.5 meters) and weighs 7.7 tons. While it's too large to leave its factory, Nagumo rents it out for $930 an hour for events, like kids' birthday parties, though it isn't saving the world from alien invaders.

In the case of an alien or monster invasion, mechas may not be the best solution. As Joe Pappalardo noted in Popular Mechanics, the Jaegers from 'Pacific Rim' would be easily outclassed by current aerial bombers and attack helicopters.