Robotic Pack Mule

[Wilco 944]

A nimble, four-legged robot is so surefooted it can recover its balance even after being given a hefty push. The machine, which moves like a cross between a goat and a pantomime horse, is being developed as a robotic pack mule for the US military.

I see something like this also being used in natural disasters/NBC attacks.

The video shows the robot negotiation rocky terrain, mud, a semi-steep hill, and a heavy push.

http://www.bostondynamics.com/dist/B...eb-26-2006.wmv

The main problem I see is they didn't test it with any weight for the heavy push.

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

Thats not the entire URL

Edit: here!

http://www.bostondynamics.com/dist/BigDog_Feb-26-2006.wmv

After reading the article at http://www.bostondynamics.com/content/sec.php?section=BigDog - I wonder if it wasnt easier/cheaper to just try and learn real-life mules to do the same?

[Student Pilot 0]

Impressive, but did anyone else find the sound it made extremely annoying?

-Pilot

[GoOB 0]

Eeeh.... To me it looks just like a huge waste of resources... When is it going to be used? I wouldn't want to run that thing in anything remotley reasembling a combat-zone. And did it even get across that puddle of mud? To me it looked like it just went in, wobbled about in there for a bit and turned around.

The moving over rocks part though was a bit impressive, I must admit. I'd rather use a supacat to carry my luggage though

[Ares1978 0]

Freaky.

So, what exacty is it supposed to do better than an actual mule or "a large dog"? It won't kick you back?

[Wilco 944]

I could see it being used in a combat situation because it's as stupid as the guy controlling it.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I could see it being used in a combat situation because it's as stupid as the guy controlling it.

It might make the enemies laugh so hard that they pee their pants, its hard to aim when you are laughing...

[red oct 2]

on the tech level, that's pretty cool! but what the Army might be looking for would probaly be something more like this:

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

I find this HIGHLY impressive! My father was professionaly active in a simillar field so I can assume how much brain power went into this.

What is extrodinary is that this machine knows how to properly cross the legs when pushed to the side. There must be a hell of a software running to ensure this works! good post!

[InqWiper 0]

Maybe it can be modified a bit to pick up soldiers that have been wounded by an IED since they sometimes place 2 close to eachother to blow up the guys who come to help the ones that were blown up by the first bomb. I dont really see this robot being used for carrying peoples shit around all day

[HotShot 0]

pantomime horse

Dead on in that description i think. I cant take it seriously when it walks like that.

Although i can see that alot of work has gone into developing it, i dont think that this robot will have much use, but the technology and lessons learnt whilst making it will i'm sure be of use in future robots.

It's like a terminator dog that has had its head chopped off and is walking around lost becuase it cant see.

[Daniel 0]

Very humerous to watch but I can see the effort thats gone into it and the potential for it.

[ebns72 0]

I have never, ever, ever understood the logic in using mechs or any robot with legs. It is a stupid idea that comes from sci-fi fantasy that is really pointless.

Why use legs when you can use wheels? Think if that thing was on wheels. Wheels can handle almost any terrain that thing can, go faster, have more control, and it only takes a kick to knock the mech over. It just seems so illogical to me.

[Messiah 2]

for the same reason that much of the work in the mountains around afghanistan is being done by soldiers on foot - vehicles cant traverse steep slopes, and those slopes they can cant be covered in loose material, otherwise they cant get up those either.

legged things, however, can tranverse these terrain... granted i doubt this thing could go up extremely steep terrain as is, but its a step down the road.

i agree with the question of why not use a real - im assuming when shot, this things gonna go haywire as well

[Daniel 0]

Quote[/b] ]and it only takes a kick to knock the mech over

I think the point of this robot is that it can be kicked over.

[Ares1978 0]

Why use legs when you can use wheels? Think if that thing was on wheels. Wheels can handle almost any terrain that thing can, go faster, have more control, and it only takes a kick to knock the mech over. It just seems so illogical to me.

Why use wheels when you can use tracks?  

Legs would be very practical if you could actually get the "mechanical mule" to climb over obstacles, or crawl under them. Trained dogs don't seem to have much of a problem climbing vertical obstacles a couple of meters high. I might have missed it, but I don't think the one in the video even has the ability to get up by itself. But it does have a future, no doubt about it. All we need then is a decent AI, a nice acronym like, say, AMEE, and a malfunction.

Edit: I almost forgot. Who would like to give a shot at making a "robotic pack mule" addon?