Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[HyQ is the latest all-terrain quadruped bot, tells Big Dog to bring it on (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/hyq-is-the-latest-all-terrain-quadruped-bot-tells-big-dog-to-br/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/hyq-is-the-latest-all-terrain-quadruped-bot-tells-big-dog-to-br/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/hyq-is-the-latest-all-terrain-quadruped-bot-tells-big-dog-to-br/#comments HyQ is the latest all-terrain quadruped bot, tells Big Dog to bring it on (video)

You might not know this, but you can literally never have enough all-terrain quadrupedal robots... at least according to us (John Connor might disagree). So, while HyQ from the Italian Institute of Technology might bear more than a passing resemblance to Boston Dynamic's Big Dog, we won't hold it against the creators. The Hydraulic Quadruped robot (HyQ for short) was first dreamed up in 2008, but the project is only now coming into its own. Researchers at IIT took the bot for a stroll outside of the confines of a laboratory and treadmill for the first time. They've also stepped up the treadmill testing by bumping up the incline and practically throwing obstacles at it. Impressively, HyQ holds his own, even as his creators pelt it with shipping pallets. Check out the video after the break to see the cybernetic crawler in action.

Continue reading HyQ is the latest all-terrain quadruped bot, tells Big Dog to bring it on (video)

HyQ is the latest all-terrain quadruped bot, tells Big Dog to bring it on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 01:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big dogBigDogHydraulic Quadruped robotHydraulicQuadrupedRobothyqiititalian institute of technologyItalianInstituteOfTechnologyquadrupedrobotsvideoTue, 15 May 2012 01:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Boston Dynamics Alpha Dog makes Alyx Vance's pet look like a toy (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/02/boston-dynamics-alpha-dog-makes-alyx-vances-pet-look-like-a-toy/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/02/boston-dynamics-alpha-dog-makes-alyx-vances-pet-look-like-a-toy/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/02/boston-dynamics-alpha-dog-makes-alyx-vances-pet-look-like-a-toy/#comments
Boston Dynamics' BigDog is one of our favorite insane-level DARPA projects; a robotic pack-mule that can carry 400 pounds of kit for troops. At some point, the Massachusetts mechanics decided the bot would be far better if it was the size of a bull, or, you know, an SUV. The Alpha Dog loses the un-stealthy buzzing noise of its predecessor, has a range of 20 miles and can take much more punishment. If you check out the video after the break, you'll see two people unsuccessfully attempt a takedown on the monster -- Half-Life 2 diehards might experience a combat flashback at the mere sight of it. AT-AT Jr is expected to see field testing sometime next year when it won't have a test bed of rocks to contend with, but the US Marines. Mark our words: we expect 'em to appear in every nightmarish dystopia of the 2020s, and take a starring role in the forthcoming Robopocalypse.

Continue reading Boston Dynamics Alpha Dog makes Alyx Vance's pet look like a toy (video)

Boston Dynamics Alpha Dog makes Alyx Vance's pet look like a toy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alpha DogAlphaDogAlyx VanceAlyxVanceAt-ATBig DogBigDogBoston DynamicsBoston Dynamics LS3BostonDynamicsBostonDynamicsLs3DARPADogHalf-Life 2Half-life2Military RobotsMilitaryRobotsRobopocalypserobot apocalypseRobotApocalypseUS MarinesUsMarinesvideoSun, 02 Oct 2011 13:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese robotic triceratops skeleton packs Linux, no horns]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/20/chinese-robotic-triceratops-skeleton-packs-linux-no-horns/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/20/chinese-robotic-triceratops-skeleton-packs-linux-no-horns/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/20/chinese-robotic-triceratops-skeleton-packs-linux-no-horns/#comments FROG (Four-legged Robot for Optimal Gait) has a ways to go before it can become a real dinosaur. The camouflaged robot is a prototype of a triceratops skeleton designed by Dr. Wei Wang and a number of PhD students at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Automation, and is downright timid compared to, say, Boston Dynamics' horn-wielding BigDog robot. It has joint angle sensors, acceleration sensors, a pan-tilt camera, and a number of other sensing devices. The robot has a Linux system inside and communicates wirelessly with a host computer -- though it still requires a plug for power. Dr. Wang hopes that the 'bot will show up in museums or other dinosaur exhibits when it's a bit more complete. He balks at comparisons to our beloved BigDog, however, since it has DC Motors and isn't hydraulic, so don't expect this herbivorous reptile to carry your luggage over rocky terrain any time soon.

Continue reading Chinese robotic triceratops skeleton packs Linux, no horns

Chinese robotic triceratops skeleton packs Linux, no horns originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big dogbigdogchinaChinese Academy of SciencesChineseAcademyOfSciencesDC motorDcMotordinosaurdinosaursDr. Wei WangDr.WeiWangFROGInstitute of AutomationInstituteOfAutomationrobotrobot apocalypseRobotApocalypseRobotstriceratopsWed, 20 Apr 2011 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Northrop Grumman's CaMEL 'bot features one .50 caliber gun, loads of class]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/northrop-grummans-camel-bot-features-one-50-caliber-gun-load/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/northrop-grummans-camel-bot-features-one-50-caliber-gun-load/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/northrop-grummans-camel-bot-features-one-50-caliber-gun-load/#comments
When the dream factory that is Northrop Grumman needed to up the "wow factor" at its Association of the U.S. Army's Washington conference booth, it did what plenty of CES exhibitors wished they could do: it weaponized. Hence, the deadliest CaMEL yet. The acronym stands for Carry-all Mechanized Equipment Landrover -- think of the BigDog robot, but with treads instead of legs. The motorized platform will hump up to 1,200 pounds of gear at seven miles per hour, and as Spencer Ackerman at Wired points out, over sixty of them have been sold to the Israeli military. But the above pictured CaMEL is the only one floating around with armaments: in this case, a .50-caliber M2 machine gun. The gun is fired remotely, via touchscreen controls, and the platform itself could support any number of weapons including the M249, the MK19 grenade launcher, or 30mm cannon. Which kind of proves a pet theory of ours: if you build it, eventually someone will mount a gun on it.

Northrop Grumman's CaMEL 'bot features one .50 caliber gun, loads of class originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Association of the U.S. ArmyAssociationOfTheU.s.Armybigdogboothcamelconferencedefensegunisraelland roverLandRovermachine gunMachineGunmilitaryNorthrop GrummanNorthropGrummanrobotu.s. armyU.s.Armywargadgetweaponwshington dcWshingtonDcThu, 28 Oct 2010 15:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Boston Dynamics PETMAN predicts the future of man as pet (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/boston-dynamics-petman-predicts-a-future-of-man-as-pet-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/boston-dynamics-petman-predicts-a-future-of-man-as-pet-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/boston-dynamics-petman-predicts-a-future-of-man-as-pet-video/#comments 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]

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

Filed under:

Boston Dynamics PETMAN predicts the future of man as pet (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at-stbigdogbipedboston dynamicsBostonDynamicshumanoidpetmanrobotwalkwalkerwalkingTue, 27 Oct 2009 03:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: BigDog turned into BigBull (with BigHorns)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/video-bigdog-turned-into-bigbull-with-bighorns/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/video-bigdog-turned-into-bigbull-with-bighorns/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/18/video-bigdog-turned-into-bigbull-with-bighorns/#comments
BigDog is probably our favorite DARPA-sponsored quadrupedal robot, capable of prancing across the terrain for 24 hours straight while carrying 400 pounds of equipment on its back. Don't let that light-footed trot fool you, though -- this thing's a killer. Need proof? Check out this video courtesy of Boston Dynamics, who affixed a pair of rather pronounced bull horns onto the thing's front and sent it charging at what looks like an unfortunate audio engineer. Thanks to a flourish of red he escaped unscathed. Olé!

[Via Gizmodo]

Continue reading Video: BigDog turned into BigBull (with BigHorns)

Filed under:

Video: BigDog turned into BigBull (with BigHorns) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bigdogboston dynamicsboston dynamics bigdogBostonDynamicsBostonDynamicsBigdogquadrupedrobotWed, 18 Mar 2009 08:51:00 EST<![CDATA[DARPA contract sets its sights on autonomous, gear carrying robots]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/29/darpa-contract-sets-its-sights-on-autonomous-gear-carrying-robo/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/29/darpa-contract-sets-its-sights-on-autonomous-gear-carrying-robo/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/29/darpa-contract-sets-its-sights-on-autonomous-gear-carrying-robo/#commentsAre you a defense contractor, or would you like to be? DARPA has put out a call for a "legged vehicle capable of maneuvering robustly and nimbly" (which might be military-speak for "prancing" -- we're not entirely sure). To get in on the action, your vehicle must be able to sense, negotiate and operate in complex terrain (rubble-strewn streets and such), follow a soldier through dynamic, cluttered environments, operate quietly, pack 400 pounds of equipment and bring enough fuel for 24 hours of operation. The Legged Squad Support System (it's been pointed out that this sounds a bit like the BigDog we saw a while back) would be required to do all of this autonomously as it follows a soldier up to 100 meters (328 feet) away. Piece of cake, right? If you're interested, hit the read link for the full announcement and be sure to get your proposal in by January 6, 2009. Video of the "classic" BigDog after the break.

[Via Wired]

Continue reading DARPA contract sets its sights on autonomous, gear carrying robots

Filed under:

DARPA contract sets its sights on autonomous, gear carrying robots originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bigdogdarpadefenseLegged Squad Support SystemLeggedSquadSupportSystemWed, 29 Oct 2008 15:26:00 EST