Origin Story

Born from a Kirkman Engineering (K-E) Auto Fuses service tin dating back to the early 20th century, KE-7 once served as part of a traveling mechanic’s diagnostic kit. These bright yellow tins were carried in toolboxes, glove compartments, and roadside repair wagons, trusted to protect ignition systems and restore vehicles stranded on dusty American highways.

As fuse technology advanced, the K-E tin and its accessories were retired and eventually stored inside a sealed maintenance locker at a long-abandoned municipal fleet depot. Decades later, during an R3BOTS recovery sweep, engineers uncovered the corroded unit alongside a bundle of vintage terminals, compression springs, and an early signal-dampening capacitor.

Intrigued by the immaculate condition of the fuse tin’s graphics—and the still-responsive voltage indicator on its top panel—the team rebuilt the unit using steel-thread stabilizer legs, insulated yellow conduit bracers, and dual red-tipped diagnostic ports. When they finally bridged the internal capacitor to a power source, the robot hummed alive, registering faint electrical pulses as though scanning for forgotten circuits.

Today, **KE-7—The Circuit Keeper—**is part of the Volt Division’s heritage monitoring team, specializing in tracking low-voltage anomalies and preserving analog electrical systems across the R3BOTS network. Operators swear KE-7 emits a soft “tick” whenever an aging fuse is about to fail—like a guardian keeping watch over the sparks of the past.

Construction & Components

Torso: Kirkman Engineering Auto Fuses Tin (circa 1912–1950s)

Arms: Twin red-tipped diagnostic test ports with nickel connectors

Legs: Threaded steel stabilizer rods with assorted vintage compression fittings

Core: Early dampening capacitor harvested from municipal fleet depot

Base: Laser-etched R3BOTS field platform (standard issue)

Capabilities & Function

• Low-voltage diagnostic scanning

• Legacy fuse and circuit evaluation

• Micro-pulse stabilization for analog systems

• Fault detection within pre-digital wiring harnesses

R3BOTS Recovery Report

Recovered: April 2025 — Municipal Fleet Electrical Depot, Trenton NJ

Condition: 61% intact upon discovery

Restored: By R3BOTS Volt Division Engineers

Operational Status: Active — Field Preservation Specialist

Technical Specifications

Height: 5.25 inches (estimate from photo & proportions)

Torso: K-E Auto Fuses Tin

Power Unit: Early dampening capacitor core

Serial Number: KE7-CRT-1912A

Core Function: Low-Voltage Circuit Preservation / Fuse Path Monitoring

Personality Profile

Reliable – Calm – Watchful

KE-7 has the quiet confidence of a seasoned mechanic, always listening for the faintest flicker of failing circuitry.

Repurpose. Rebuild. Reinvent.