Saturday, April 26, 2008

Wowzza, It’s Dede: The “Tree Man”

Dede, aka “Tree Man“, is an Indonesian fisherman who has been slowly changing from a human into a tree… or at least that is what it appears.

After cutting his knee as a teenager, Dede began to grow tree like warts that have baffled local doctors and medical experts for over 20 years.

tree-man Wowzza, Its Dede: The Tree Man picture

His condition has become so bad that he can no longer carry out even simple household tasks. He lost his job and his wife left him to raise their two children in poverty.

For a while he worked in a freak show as the “Tree Man” to try to make ends meet.

Although he gets some support from his extended family, he’s the subject of ridicule and abuse in his village.

An American doctor has finally determined that the cause of his problem is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) combined with a genetic condition that impedes his immune system, allowing the warts to grow unchecked.

tree-man-warts Wowzza, Its Dede: The Tree Man picture

treeman.jpg treeman-doctor.jpg

On April 4, 2008, Dede received surgery in which medics cut off over 4 pounds of warts from his body. Although not completely healed, he can see the outline of his fingers and toes for the first time in over a decade.

tree-man-surgery.jpg

Dede has two more operations to go through but is already excited to begin his new life.

“What I really want first is to get better and find a job. But then, one day, who knows? I might meet a girl and get married.”

(link 1 2)

Robotic Body Scoopers: Bring Out Your Dead

If you have ever seen “Monty Python”, then you would remember the scene where the filthy man covered in muck comes around with a wheel barrel chiming “Bring out your dead“.

In Japan, the task of extracting their dead has become a bit more advanced.

Meet Robokiyu the Rescue Robot, whose job it is to come in and extract the dead from any situation.

robokiyu-robot-full.jpg

Owned by the Tokyo Fire Department and controlled by remote control Robokiyu uses two movable arms to drag a person’s body up the slide located in the front of the machine.

robokiyu-robot-01 Robotic Body Scoopers: Bring Out Your Dead picture

Don’t worry if you happen to be presumed dead and picked up by Robokiyu, he has fresh oxygen pumping through him at all times for your convenience.

Robokiyu is also not above apology and will happily pour you a drink to say sorry.

robokiyu-robot-drink Robotic Body Scoopers: Bring Out Your Dead picture

Still I can only imagine how scary that would be. Laying out after a long night of drinking to have be jolted awake in the arms of some giant robot trying to eat you… wow

You can see the official released PDF from the Tokyo Fire Department here - link.