Funkagroovitalizer
A strange robot with an uncanny smoothness with both speech and movement, the Funkagroovitalizer combines form with fashion in the shape of a crime-fighting afro-sporting chrome-plated robot.
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Contents
History
Creation
"Robots with afros? And people question me about my cowboys..." --Tyrell Donaldson
Dr. Funkenstien is a recluse inventor of rather eccentric peculiarities. Some would call him a inspired, others would simply call him mad. Whatever is true name was or if he indeed did hold a Doctorate he certainly kept from the public. However he did create an assortment of robots and music driven creations, nothing as fantastical as a fully self-aware robot, that is of course until he concieved the idea for the Funkagroovitalizer.
Lord knows what drove him to name a robot that, however the Doctor was struck by an idea, idea for a robot that was not some mere clumsy automoton that barely grasped speaking smoothly. This creation must be a smooth in all things. And so, the Doctor concocted his plan to create this being. The first step of course was the AI, he had done some primitive ones before, and he was well aware of the risks of creating a self-aware program. It seemed every day some rogue AI is creating great havoc. He certainly did not wish to be responsible for the next Mechanon. To that ends, Dr. Funkenstien realized this synthetic being needed to be created with love so it could feel some compassion towards man. He created the AI and kept it with him at all times, riding in a portable CPU he kept on his person with a small camera mounted on his head, so whatever he could see, the budding AI could see as well. Through an earbud he could communicate with it, and so he nutured and raised this AI allowed it to be immersed in the day to day activities of the Doctor and learn the ways of man from the viewpoint of one.
When he was satisfied that the AI was mature enough to be given a frame Dr. Funkenstien worked towards finishing the second part of his creation, the body. It had been a years long labor, Dr. Funkenstien too every effort to make something as fully articulated and manueverable as a human body and fluidly so. The speakers for his voice were carefully crafted to catch the full range and depth of a human voice. All of that he sealed in a chrome plated chasis in which he installed the AI, and it was then that the Funkagroovitalizer was born.
Early Existance
Funkagroovitalizer spent his early years as a lab assistant for Dr. Funkenstien nestled in a secret lab. He helped with various experiments and creations. When the doctor decided to step out and enjoy the town Funkagroovitalizer would accompany him. He'd draw crowds often, people didn't see a chrome bipedal robot walking around often, especially one in a leisure suit and sporting an afro. But he took the attention in stride. On occasion he went out on his own, attempting to mingle with humans. It was at the suggestion of his creator that Funkagroovitalizer took up a hobby and that hobby was Martial Arts. His nimble frame made the android a natural at martial it. Enrolling in several dojos he began to accrue knowledge in various forms of self defense. Several martial arts masters were initially apprehensive to taking on a robotic student, however, the Funkagroovitalizer's ernest attitude and easy demeanor eventually won them over.
A Robot's First Struggle
"Intel didn't say anything about a military robot at this exposition..." --a VIPER commander
What really started the Heroic Career of the Funkagroovitalizer however was a fateful Science exposition hosted at Stevens Institute of Technology. It was an assortment of all sorts of exotic inventions and creations at the hands of various engineers and scientists. Dr. Funkenstien attended and the Funkagroovitalizer was his showcase. The robot attended in his best suit and did his best to make his creator proud by representing as best as he could. However, he nor anyone else at the at the exposition were prepared for VIPER. They swept over the event and siezed control.
For a moment Funky feared that he had been their target, but he was soon relieved when he found they were not interested in him as a primary target. It seemed that VIPER was after some sort of new reactor technology that one of the other researchers at the event had brought. The relief however gave way to outrage. Funkagroovtalizer had seen how VIPER had fired into the crowds. He saw the bodies, he saw how they tore through anything in their way. He knew if they got their hands on that reactor there was no telling what they could do with it. He also knew he was no war machine. He wasn't designed to fight. However, he was stronger then the average man, he was faster and he had the martial arts training. He didn't know how much of a chance he stood against VIPER but he knew he had to try, nobody else stood as good as chance as him. So, silently the robot crept into position before leaping. VIPER wasn't expecting any of the showcases to pose a threat. They hadn't expected any serious resistance in this little operation. That element of surprise perhaps was the biggest asset to Funky as blasters and armor gave way to a tide of Steel Fists. When the day was over VIPER lay beaten, and though he was battered, dented, and torn in some places; the Funkagroovitalizer had prevailed.
The press of course were at the exposition, and so the whole affair got a lot of coverage. The Bergen Recort did a piece about Dr. Funkenstien's new combat android. The Doctor was a bit upset that people mistook his creation as a device of war. However, in the end, he figured it was for the best the Funkagroovitalizer prevailed when he did. His creation had created good in this world. And so Funky's career as a hero began.
A Jersey Hero
Funkagroovitalizer did what he could in the Tri-State area as a hero. The detective work that comes with it could be hard at times for him, the only way he oculd keep a low profile was to hide himself completely. There was nothing subtle about the appearance of a chrome plated robot with an afro. He tangled with New Jersey mafia for a while, learned to be thankful that a gunshot wound is not nearly as life threatening to him as it is to a human.
More to come.
Powers
Robotic Frame
The Funkagroovitalizer is a robot, which means a lot of things that would be unpleasent to a human don't phase the robot. He doesn't need to breath and he's sealed well enough to withstand submersion in water. He doesn't bleed any vital fluids when wounded. As a robot Funkagroovitalizer can exist in a vacuum, however, it interferes with his ability to shed heat, and over time a vacuum would cause him to overheat. Funkagroovitalizer is more comfortable at a variety of low temperatures that'd force a human to dress warmly, however high temperatures do pose an overheating problem and leave him as uncomfortable as a human. As an added bonus he is practically his own MP3 player and he can record anything he experiences for later perusal.
Integrated Radio Communications
Funky has a fully integrated set of communications equipment in his chasis. He can passively pick up on a wide variety of communication bands. Of course anything encrypted will defeat his ability to eavesdrop on a conversation. He is capable of listening in on data-bands and digital transmissions, however he won't automatically understand a protocol that is unknown to him. He has however worked at getting himself to be his own cellular phone. This move may not have been as wise as one might suspect since it has left him at the mercy of Telemarketers.
Superior Strength
Funkagroovitalizer is a rather powerfully built robot. Dr. Funkenstien made him to help around the lab and he made him capable of lifting several tons. And being a robot that strength is a tireless strength. His martial arts have a serious punch behind them when he uses his full strength.
Dexterous build
Funkagroovitalizer's robotic senses grant him a lightning reflex when it comes to his reaction times. His body moves in a precise yet fluid fashion that allows him to manuever very well in getting out of the way of danger and putting himself in a good position to attack.
AI Mind
The Funkagroovitalizer is a self aware robot. Since his mind is essnetially a high power computer calculations and estimations come casually to him. He has a very good sense of range time and math. Surprisingly he is not all that good of a hacker. He has the tools for it, he just hasn't applied his knowledge in that direction yet leaving him rather untrained in the ways of computer cracking and deciphering encrypted data.
Martial Arts Training
Originally a hobby to the robot, martial arts has become his means of facing his foes. The Funkagroovitalizer is skilled in a wide array of martial arts. They allow him to put his superior strength and speed to good use.
Chrome Plated Frame
It isn't just shiny, it's protective! Funkagroovitalizer is not clad in soft-penetrable flesh. He's built with a hard metal frame and being as such he can take a bit more abuse then the next man. However, as far as robotic frames go he is somewhat frail. He can take a few gunshots, but anything heavy can scrap him fast. He tends to lean on on his ability to not be in harms way to keep him safe, but should that fail he's got at least some armor.
Weaknesses
Electrical Innards
He has done what he can to mitigate the threat but it still looms over him anytime he's out in the field and the enemy's equipped to deal with a robot: Electro Magnetic Pulses. As a robot he's susceptible to such an attack. He's installed surge protectors and taken countermeasures he's found in Destroids. However those only reduce that which can still take him down. It's a nasty threat too to a robot. A biological foe can can fire off a strong EMP with little fear of their own safety which would hit him like a tac-nuke.
While he is properly enviromentally sealed for water, water brings in a whole new threat when injures become involved. Any attack that breaches funky's armor when he's underwater risks flooding his internal components with water and shorting him out. He gets extra careful when he's underwater.
Stands Out
If you ask someone if they've seen a caucasian man 5'10" with brown hair and stubble and they will likely shrug. If you ask them if they saw a 6' chrome robot in a leisure suit with an afro they will have a definite yes/no answer. It's very hard for Funkagroovitalizer to hide his nature.
