Culture: Art: Automated
cavepainting robots   (+7, -1)  [vote for, against]
with basic shape recognition and maybe a wire to [link to/communicate with] the surface

instead of being down there in the cave ,as in ancient times, and recognising shapes on the walls that might ,with a bit of painting & tweaking ,make a good horse or buffalo shape; how about a robot-- ,small and maneauvrable ,equipped with a camera and horse recognition technology and able to fit in spaces where humans couldnt reach and a once a patch of rock deemed horseable enough is found , an artist can be alerted to teleoperate the robot to make a painting
-- technobadger, Jan 01 2002

imitation of life imitating (ab)original art - croissant
-- thumbwax, Jan 01 2002


Why not have robots paint robots on the walls. That'd f**k with peoples' heads. Better yet, get horses to do the painting on the artists.
-- phoenix, Jan 01 2002


Interesting challenges here.

1. Some caves fill periodically with water, so it's going to have to be submersible.
2. A shitload of cranky old academics are going to jump all over you if it paints graffiti over an existing cave painting, not to mention Ministries of Culture and Science.
3. The paintings will be nothing more than graffiti, as they will have no intrinsic or historical significance.

For these reasons, and others, you earn a fishbone. Sorry.
-- UnaBubba, Jan 01 2002


Cool, but...

If the robot you invent draws a ruminant where *you* can't see or reach it, no-one else will see it either.

Unless you use it to draw on ceilings, etc.. Say, five metres from floor level. Freak out some future archaeologists! :)

How about a paint roller, with a bison stamp incorporated?
-- gargarax, Jan 03 2002


Who says it has no historical significance? I think that's for hencity to decide. Croissant.
-- Hitler Shitkitten, Dec 09 2002


I like the idea, obviously. How about graffiti-bots that paint all over abandoned buildings and fences in urban areas?
-- jaksplat, Dec 18 2004


Just get a branding iron and melt your shape into a cave wall.
-- croissantz, Dec 19 2004



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