The Panterragaffe, a Rideable Strandbeest

Craft & Design Energy & Sustainability

As we previewed last month, the Vancouver Mini Maker Faire featured the Panterragaffe, an ambulatory vehicle inspired by Theo Janssen’s famous Strandbeests.

Panterragaffe is a pedal powered two person walking machine, a walking bicycle. The name has a few elements to it. It’s a play on pantograph, which is a mechanism for copying drawings, since it’s similar to the leg mechanism. Also; Pan – all or spanning. Terra – earth. Gaffe – an unintentional act causing embarrassment to it’s originator or just goofy-ness. A bit of goofy-ness for everybody. To most people the name doesn’t mean anything, therefore it’s meaning is flexible.

Panterragaffe was conceived from the beginning as a public exhibition piece. It’s purpose had shock value and public participation in mind from the start. After building a seven inch prototype, it was clear that a mobile entertainment platform was possible. It was only a small step after that to decide to add a power source, music and lighting to suit events. The rough frame allows us to add character coverings, Panterragaffe can dress up differently ever time it goes out. Hence the flexible name.

[Via Tinkernology]

10 thoughts on “The Panterragaffe, a Rideable Strandbeest

  1. Leo Miller says:

    I was suprised at how comfortable a ride it looks.

  2. Leo Miller says:

    I was suprised at how comfortable a ride it looks.

  3. barold says:

    How does it turn….?

  4. Ninety Nein says:

    It was great to see the Panterragaffe in person at the Mini Maker Faire in Vancouver!  The person on the left pedals the left set of legs, and the person on the right, the right set of legs.  To turn, one person pedals less, not at all, or backwards, while the other pedals forward.

  5. Carol Sperling says:

    Reminds me of the spider in “Wild-wild West”

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My interests include writing, electronics, RPGs, scifi, hackers & hackerspaces, 3D printing, building sets & toys. @johnbaichtal nerdage.net

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