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The walking forest machine is Plustech’s best-known innovation.
The goal of product development was to create a machine that has
the best possible working stability and minimum impact on the
terrain.

The walking machine adapts automatically to the forest floor.
Moving on six articulated legs, the harvester advances forward
and backward, sideways and diagonally. It can also turn in
place and step over obstacles. Depending on the irregularity of
the terrain, the operator can adjust both the ground clearance of
the machine and height of each step.

The machine’s nerve center is an intelligent computer system
that controls all walking functions – including the direction of
movement, the travelling speed, the step height and gait, and the
ground clearance. The harvester head is controlled by the
Timberjack measuring and control system. To further optimize
machine operation, Timberjack’s Total Machine Control system
(TMC) regulates the functions of machine’s loader and
engine. All control systems are designed for easy of use.
The operator-friendly controls are incorporated in a single
joystick.

I cannot describe the feeling I get in my pants just thinking about controlling one of these. You definitely wouldn’t put John Deere on the top of the list for innovation in harvesting, but I guess they can surprise you. And who would’ve thought that all those years of videogame “training” would finally pay off in the form of a becoming a forest worker?