Kickstarter Product Lets You Swing Through The Air Like Spider-Man And Will Possibly Kill You

Have you ever wanted to swing through the air like radioactive superhero Spider-Man? What about death – are you interested in that? A new Spider-Man Kickstarter product might give you the chance to achieve both of those dreams!

I'm at a bit of a loss here. There's a new Kickstarter page for something called "Air-Ropes: The Grappling Hook Experience" and I watched the video presentation wondering if it was supposed to be a joke. But no, this is apparently real. Inventor Trajan Dimsey has concocted a device that enables you to shoot grappling hook ropes from arm-cannons. You can then, in theory, use the ropes to swing through the air just like your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. See for yourself.

There's a lot to take in here. For one thing, Dimsey isn't looking for funding to make his product. Instead, he wants to buy a "grid of giant air bags" so he can expand his swinging grounds. Then he wants to "get a portable structure like they use at musical festivals."

On top of this, there's a safety issue. Dimsey insists this whole thing is very safe, and in the video, you can see he's swinging very close to the ground. But what would happen if someone got their hands on this and took it to the roof of a building (you know, just like Spider-Man)? My prediction: instant death. Dimsey apparently only intends for his Spider-Man air-ropes to be used at a controlled location, like a "theme-park ride."

But I'm skeptical. "Making this safe enough for public" is important, Dimsey says on his Kickstarter page, adding, "This is essentially a theme park ride, so I've been using British safety standard HSG 175 as my guide. Specifically this means swapping out arduinos with safety PLCs and watchdog circuits, that sort of thing."

Okay, but what happens when you swing too hard and rip your arm out of its socket? What then?

We'll have to wait for the answers to these questions. Here's how Dimsey describes the desired experience:

Everyone will start by trying on the rope launchers and aiming at targets before any swinging is done. So you can still have fun without going to the next step...Then you can do some small practice swings and basic manoeuvres. And those who are good enough will be let into the main arena where you can shoot and swing in any direction you want.

Head on over to Dimsey's Kickstarter page if you're interested in helping him achieve his confusing goals.