engineering

Robosaurus

Robosaurus is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Robosaurus rather than just read about it. In short: Robosaurus is a transforming dinosaur robot created by inventor Doug Malewicki in 1989 and originally owned and operated by his company, Monster Robots, Inc. Robosaurus is modeled after Transformers toys with the driver sitting in the head of the robot, and the ability to transform from a 48-foot semi trailer into a mechanical Tyrannosaurus rex.

Key takeaways

Robosaurus belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Robosaurus to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Robosaurus from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Robosaurus is a transforming dinosaur robot created by inventor Doug Malewicki in 1989 and originally owned and operated by his company, Monster Robots, Inc. Robosaurus is modeled after Transformers toys with the driver sitting in the head of the robot, and the ability to transform from a 48-foot semi trailer into a mechanical Tyrannosaurus rex. It has hydraulically activated arms, grasping claws, and jaws, and a flame thrower in the head to give the effect of breathing fire out of its nostrils. It is used at motorsport events (particularly monster truck events) and air shows to "eat" and burn vehicles such as automobiles and small airplanes. Robosaurus took two years and $2.2 million to build, stands at a height of 40 feet when transformed and fully extended and weighs 31 tons. It is powered by a 500-horsepower, turbo charged, Cummins diesel engine. Four hydraulic pumps are used to manipulate the claws, which can exert 24,000 pounds of force. It houses two 20-gallon propane tanks to produce the fire breath effect, and houses air cannons that can be used to fire confetti, fireworks or missiles. Similar machines based on the same concept include Megasaurus and Transaurus, as well as less direct imitators, such as "Draco the Dragonator" and "Tranzilla". A parody of Robosaurus, called Truckasaurus, is also present in the TV series The Simpsons in the episode "Bart the Daredevil", and in the video game based on the franchise, Simpsons Hit 'n' Run. Robosaurus was auctioned off at the Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson auction on January 19, 2008. Bidding saw the robotic dinosaur sell to gambling industry veteran Brooke Dunn for US$575,000. Dunn's company, Action Robo LLC, now owns and operates Robosaurus.

Appearances in media Robosaurus starred in Steel Justice, a made-for-TV movie on NBC in 1992. It centered on a cop with the magical ability to turn his deceased son's Robosaurus toy into a real fire-breathing robot to help him fight crime. No TV series resulted. Robosaurus featured in three episodes of the 2010 Travel Channel reality show, America's Worst Driver, including the series finale. It appeared in "Robosaurus", a 2011 fourth-season episode of the History Channel reality series Pawn Stars, wherein its owner brought it to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop and after demonstrating what it can do tried to sell it to the Harrisons at an offer of $1,000,000, which they refused. Robosaurus was featured on "Larry's Vegas Hangover", an episode of Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy. It was co-piloted by Larry the Cable Guy's friend and fellow comedian Carrot Top. Robosaurus is featured in the movie Waking Up in Reno where Robosaurus eats the vacationing couple's Chevy Suburban. An animated version of Robosaurus tears the roof off of the trailer belonging to Pete White and Billy Quizboy in "Maybe No Go", a season 6 episode of The Venture Bros. Robosaurus was featured on "Child at Heart", an episode of Jay Leno's Garage. Robosaurus was featured on Penn & Teller: Fool Us Episode 505, "Psych!!" which aired on July 23, 2018, when magician Seth Grabell was handcuffed and escaped from a police car as Robosaurus destroyed it. A parody of Robosaurus, named Truck-o-Saurus, appears in The Simpsons episode "Bart the Daredevil", in which it ends up damaging the family's car. An homage to Robosaurus, named Truckasaurus appeared in the tabletop game Gaslands: Refuelled by Mike Hutchinson in 2019 as a special event and appeared again in 2021 in the "TX-3 Junk N Tow" expansion for Gaslands: Legacy from Planet Smasher Games. Robosaurus appeared in the episode "You Decide LIVE!" of the Disney Channel series Just Roll with It, which aired on October 4, 2019.

References

External links

Michael A. Ryder

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Robosaurus

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Robosaurus claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Robosaurus before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Robosaurus ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Robosaurus

In research: Robosaurus appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Robosaurus in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Robosaurus is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1989 robots, Entertainment robots, Individual robots, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Robosaurus outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Robosaurus in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Robosaurus means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Robosaurus out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Robosaurus in simple terms?

Why does Robosaurus matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Robosaurus?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Robosaurus.