Army’s new bipedal robot walks, balances like a human

By David Edwards and Stephen Webster
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 -- 9:39 pm
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killer robots Armys new bipedal robot walks, balances like a humanRobot-maker Boston Dynamics showed for the first time on Tuesday a new prototype robot that walks upright like a human.

Wired.com reported:

"Petman will balance itself and move freely; walking, crawling and doing a variety of suit-stressing calisthenics during exposure to chemical warfare agents," the company promises. "Petman will also simulate human physiology within the protective suit by controlling temperature, humidity and sweating when necessary, all to provide realistic test conditions. "

Like Boston Dynamics' BigDog robo-mule, Petman stays upright, even when it's shoved. And the thing walks heel-to-toe at 3.2 miles per hour, just like a flesh-and-blood person. Petman may be just one of a number of attempts by robot-makers to build a simulated set of biped legs. But I haven't seen one that gets closer to the real deal.

"I, for one, like that the torso section of PETMAN looks like a sweet boom box and I hope that someday Boston Dynamics sees fit to let the robot loose in the business district of a small town, just walking around and taking in the scenery while pumping out some old-school rap," quipped Doug Aamoth at CrunchGear.

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Boston Dynamics is also the creator of the "Big Dog," a four-legged pack mule of sorts that follows soldiers carrying gear. Video of both robotics breakthroughs are below.

This video is from Boston Dynamics, released Oct. 26, 2009.


Download video via RawReplay.com

The following video is of Boston Robotics' "Big Dog" robot.

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Story comments are below...

  • joevoxcox
    friggin noisy innit!?
    enemy can here this coming a mile away!
  • OldAtlantic
    We can stop using soldiers from 3rd world countries in our own army.
  • Savantster
    .
    So you'd prefer to send only whites off to die in illegal wars?

    Somehow, that doesn't seem up your alley. Or do you just hate white people?
    .
  • dennycrane
    Why would they give up their health care to help a lousing cause...
  • progchris
    What about the law of Robotics. Robots are not to harm humans. Somehow I don't think this is what they have in store for Petman, he holds a weapon in his left hand. Always re-packaging death and destruction.
  • lafoutlowd
    Thank goodness for the military/industrial complex. Of course, had nearly the same amount of scientific expertise and bloated defense dollars (don't worry, they'll come) gone toward betterment of the lives of people in countries we will one day be able to launch attacks upon with these staggering attack-bots, the bots themselves would be unnecessary. Hey, here's an idea: devote equivalent research, funding and energy to improving conditions here at home. We might start with light-rail, renewable energy, education, conservation and public works projects. See, that way the taxpayer dollars don't go into dead-(literally)-end investments in war machinery and actually ADD to the GDP while creating jobs. Weird idea, huh?
  • galt007
    If the conditions here at home become perfect, who is going to work in our war machine and ensure our hegemony?
  • dennycrane
    Fit it with boobs and a vagina and the military has "someone" it can harass, torture and rape without anyone pressing charges.
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