Boston Dynamics PETMAN predicts the future of man as pet (video)

At this stage of its development, PETMAN is here to assist mankind. However, it's clearly fated to be weaponized as an AT-ST walker in support of Imperial ground forces. For the time being anyway, this biped humanoid is being built by Boston Dynamics to test military suits used to protect soldiers in chemical warfare. As an evolutionary advance from its four-legged BigDog platform, PETMAN does the ol' heel-toe at a healthy 3.2 MPH (5.14 KPH) and packs enough balancing intelligence to remain upright even when given a shove from the side. Check out the action after the break.

[Via Make]

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2009 3:12AM]

Dirt against dirt

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2009 5:28AM]

First marriage 2023

Extreme social relations between Humans and Robots

[Eternity Posted Oct 27th 2009 5:30AM]

These are prototype Skynet Velociraptors. We are doomed!

[n1hmrd Posted Oct 27th 2009 6:19AM]

I for one welcome our new petman decepticon overlords ,i hope they will have a place for myself, in there,factories making enegon cubes,I will help them round up all the earthlings/human insects etc for timely quick processing,

ALL HAIL Megatron!!!MEGATRON!

[Stapyhlococcus Posted Oct 27th 2009 7:26AM]

Scary, but as scary as this (similar technology I believe) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHJJQ0zNNOM
The parts where it balances it self after being pushed and the part on the slippery ice send shivers down my spine!

[NXTwoThou Posted Oct 27th 2009 7:52AM]

Uhm, are those bowling shoes?

It'd be a heck of a lot more impressive in high heels.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2009 8:03AM]

Metal Gear is more likely to happen than Terminator at this rate..... Or both! Dammit!

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2009 8:25AM]

I have no idea how I would defeat that if it attacked me. I mean, they already showed us that pushing it over is out!

[Namminamm Posted Nov 4th 2009 6:59AM]

just puch it hard enough to make it fall. just like you do with a normal human.

[p0p0 Posted Oct 27th 2009 8:35AM]

Why do they always have to push these walking robots around in the videos? All those engineers got some anger issues.

[armus360 Posted Oct 27th 2009 8:47AM]

Scary but awesome!

[GFL Posted Oct 27th 2009 8:50AM]

METAL GEAR!?!

[Latt Posted Oct 27th 2009 8:56AM]

"3.2 MPH (5.14 KPH)" -- Silly American... it's km/h ... not KPH ... KPH would be kilos per hour, which makes no sense at all :P

[unboring Posted Oct 27th 2009 9:47AM]

unless kilos per hour means rapid weight gain, which might make more sense in america.

[loginatnine Posted Oct 27th 2009 10:59AM]

actually KPH doesn't mean anything, kilogram is kg not K, kilo is k not K

[HammerT Posted Oct 27th 2009 9:35AM]

I'm currious to know how it bahaves on a small bump in the road :o

[SOOPERGOOMAN Posted Oct 27th 2009 9:44AM]

Looks like Big Dog and Little Dog have a new best friend.

I for One welcome our newest robotic master with open arms. Maybe he can hook me up with a working left foot.

We already have cyborgs so it seems like all the cheesy movies of the 80's are coming to reality....

[grifmx Posted Oct 27th 2009 10:33AM]

2015: iRobot

[Somister96 Posted Oct 27th 2009 11:26AM]

Movement reminds me of Metal Gear Solid for some reason

[dEUS Posted Oct 27th 2009 11:31AM]

HERE...
this is creepy


http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/8030/walkerm.jpg

[Wwhat Posted Oct 27th 2009 2:33PM]

Yeah see, the movies have them walking the wrong way, silly movies.

[isstuff Posted Oct 27th 2009 11:39AM]

Looks like it has air muscles, that would help it have a more human like gate and the big box could hold a compressor.

[LordBlazer Posted Oct 27th 2009 1:06PM]

For a second i thought the Article said Massive Dynamics. ( i need to lay off the fridge).

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2009 2:11PM]

So when is Puma gonna pick this baby up for some shoe-testing?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2009 10:56PM]

If you look closely when he pushes the robot, it almost looks like he just touches it and it automaticly steps to the side. Like it was already programmed to do it. Have a look at 0.24.
Other than that, very cool.

[Nytrydr Posted Oct 28th 2009 12:48AM]

BIGDOG, PETMAN's new best friend

[Crystalarc Posted Oct 29th 2009 8:06PM]

Wait... What's the robot going to do when it's shoe laces come untied? It doesn't have arms.