NationStates Jolt Archive

Big Dog The Robotic Pack Animal.

Video (http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=164333&ESRC=navy.nl)

It seems that the future in mules and donkeys is near. I think I was most impressed by the kick that didn't knock it down, the Ice that didn't make it drop it's pack on the ground, and the cable controls that provided it with the ability to run and leap like a goat...

They have to quiet that noise down though, it sounds like an over-sized mosquito and after a while of listening to that I think I'd shoot it and carry the pack myself just to shut it up :p

I've seen this, it's pretty cool but I also find it rather creepy. Maybe because the sounds, maybe because it makes organic movements but doesn't have a head or a tail. It's also pretty cool when it jumps. Anyway they should do something about the creepy noise and looks, I don't know, maybe something with flowers and birds whistling could work.

I also doubt if this is better than a real donkey or mule.

Pretty cool.
I lol'd at it when it slipped on the ice. :p

That reminds me of the Hunters...I'd better go get my vocoder.

From the way that robot moved when it was pushed I would have to say this is kinda old technology just implemented in a different way. It looks like behavioural robot walking. The like employed by ASIMO and Aibo. Basically, it's a robotic cockroach - each leg being controlled independently with no central control unit.

The jumping was impressive though. I'll admit that.

This (http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14419513.600-look-to-the-insect--for-years-insectlike-robots-were-graceless-shufflers-easily-outclassed-by-the-common-cockroach-big-changes-are-afoot.html) is a New Scientist article from 1994 talking about the behavioural based systems for walking.

I think one of the more impressive things recently was robotic cars finishing the DARPA Grand Challenge. That was in 2005 I believe.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/darpa-stanford-stanley-vision-system/460815139

Reminds me of this...

http://welcomeconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/crying_wolf.jpg

10 minutes of awesome (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=TLOhrQks6J4)