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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]
Video: Precision Urban Hopper leaps over fences, makes enemies cringe
It's only been a few months since we heard from the whiz kids over at Boston Dynamics, and honestly, we've been waiting on pins and needles to see what miracle would emerge from its labs next. Said outfit has just been awarded a contract by Sandia to build the next generation of the Precision Urban Hopper, which will be a four-wheeled jumping robot that can navigate autonomously. When it rolls into battle, it'll also be equipped with a single jumping leg, giving it the ability to hop over fences, giant humans, Gort or anything else that's 25 feet tall. Best of all, testing and delivery is scheduled for late 2010, so if you were planning on getting on our bad side, you should probably have a look at the video past the break. Chances are you'll be second guessing that urge.[Via TG Daily]%Gallery-72917%
Boston Dynamics-designed RiSE V3 robot climbs poles, haunts dreams
The folks at Boston Dynamics have already made quite a name for themselves in the world of creepy robotics, but it looks like they're not ones to keep all their know-how to themselves, and they've now lent the University of Pennsylvania's Kod*lab a hand with this new RiSE V3 pole-climbing robot. That, as you've no doubt surmised, is a followup to RiSE V1 and V2, which were developed without the help of Boston Dynamics and were more suited to climbing flat surfaces than poles. In addition to a vastly different leg mechanism, this latest model also makes use of some brushless DC motors that increase the power density to let it climb poles at rates up to 22cm per second, which the researchers say make it well-suited for a wide range of tasks. As you can see for yourself in the video after the break, the bot mostly seems to work remarkably well, although it's obviously not quite ready to tackle critical jobs all by itself just yet.[Via Hacked Gadgets]
Robot that can jump twenty-five feet in the air coming to the US military
Boston Dynamics -- which previously made a robot called the BigDog -- has been enlisted by Sandia National Laboratories (a US government-funded lab) and DARPA to make a new, hopping robot. Called the Precision Urban Hopper, the robot's goal will be to be capable of jumping over large obstacles in city combat situations. It will boast one extremely tough leg to assist it, in addition to its four wheels. The Hopper is supposedly going to be able to jump 25 feet in the air once completed. So far, only a very small prototype (pictured above) is finished, but Boston Dynamics is due to present its next model sometime during 2010.
Video: BigDog turned into BigBull (with BigHorns)
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]
Robot "dog" crosses obstacles, lacks head
To be honest, we're not sure if Boston Dynamics decision to not include a head on its so-called "LittleDog" makes the bot more or less creepy, but it sure is pretty darn impressive either way. It's claim to fame, and the result of $1.5 million in funding from DARPA, is its ability to cross harsh terrain with relative ease, relying on an array of sensors that measure joint angles, body orientation, and foot/ground contact. As you can see in the video after the break, the whole system appears to work remarkably well, with the bot only encountering a few minor hiccups during its rock-climbing adventure. No word on any future plans for the bot just yet, but with DARPA behind it, we're guessing it'll be attracting some slightly different owners than its robot canine companions.[Via SlashGear]Update: We overlooked this at first, but it turns out LittleDog isn't Boston Dynamics' first foray into headless robot dogs, with the company's BigDog also able to climb hills, and carry a 120 pound load to boot.
