Posted on 07/23/2008 6:19:08 AM PDT by econjack
The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth
BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog's legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostondynamics.com ...
with a gas engine you can probably hear it long before it gets to you. and at 4 mph, i’d take my chances. but in ten years this concept will produce some crazy stuff.
It appears so real I cringed when the guy kicked it to show it’s stability on Ice...! LOL If they put a head on it and fur it would be scary..
Good grief, haven’t the designers ever heard of a muffler? This thing sounds like a weed eater running wide open.
They're probably working on the stealth part of the dog.
...but can it lift its’ leg and discharge fuel on a tree? With scent recognization could it track down deer or even an escaped convict. With stereo vision can it discharge a tazer in any direction? Could the limbs be adapted for use with amputees? Limitless possibilities here....
Oh my gosh, if I heard that thing and looked over a hill to see it coming at me... well, I need new drawers.
Seriously, I hope they aren’t going to be in an area that they don’t want to alert anyone.
LOL!!!
Disturb me? I think I’m gonna have nightmares!
Seriously, I think pyschological warfare involved here, ha!
Scare the crap out of the enemy before they even get started.
That being said, I am in awe of the technology and I’m proud on these guys’ side.
That was funny!
That's because they ARE using a weed-whacker-type engine to supply power.
It's a prototype. They don't care if it's noisy. They only care that it walks well. The production machines that will follow will have quieter power sources, but for now they didn't want to spend their money on a custom power source
Imagine the reaction of Middle Eastern cave dwellers, seeing a hundred of those things coming at them!
It does move very dog like at least walking.
I want one.
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