Another BigDog

[CraigD]

Our own Bill has a very cool namesake in Boston Dynamic's BigDog robot (warning – loud video plays upon opening). At up to 400 lbs. (180 kg), it’s a very big dog indeed, and the video, which includes the 4-legged bot staggering from a hard kick, stumbling around on a patch of ice, and otherwise looking eerily animal-like, pretty amazing.

[Tormod]

Holy smokes!

 

[Thunderbird]

This is the first time I've seen a robot that appears to be alive. They now need to desighn a proper exo-armature to complete the illusion.

[TheBigDog]

I got to get me one of those! Saddle it up and ride it around.

[Tormod]

I was going to say it does look like Bill, but I wasn't expecting it to *sound* like Bill as well!!!

[freeztar]

Bill sounds like a bumble bee?! ;)

[CraigD]

We don’t usually think of “robot” and “gasoline motor” in the same sentence, but that’s what we have here. Sound to me like a gas leaf blower.

 

The least impressive thing about the bot is it’s maximum “running” speed of 4 MPH – what we humans term “a fast walk”. Compared to most other walking robots I’ve seen, though, even 4 MPH is speedy.

 

I wonder what sort of mileage it gets? From the sound of its motor and its speed, I’m guessing less than 5 MPG.

[Mercedes Benzene]

That was honestly one of the creepiest things I've ever seen. It almost made me want to vomit. ;)

 

I'll admit, that it's very cool, and it responded well to being kicked, but if I saw that in person, I would definitely freak out. It's just something about how it moves, especially considering it's a robot, that's disgustingly unnatural.

I think this conjures such a reaction in me, because I used to be deathly afraid of the coat-rack (man?) from Beauty and the Beast, when I was really little. :D

 

But, very cool all the same!

[Thunderbird]

That was honestly one of the creepiest things I've ever seen. It almost made me want to vomit. ;)

 

I'll admit, that it's very cool, and it responded well to being kicked, but if I saw that in person, I would definitely freak out. It's just something about how it moves, especially considering it's a robot, that's disgustingly unnatural.

I think this conjures such a reaction in me, because I used to be deathly afraid of the coat-rack (man?) from Beauty and the Beast, when I was really little. :D

 

But, very cool all the same!

It looked like two dogs [french poodles] fused together in some kind perverted cyborg creation. I want one!

[modest]

Turtle and Craig think alike :)

 

Re: Great Science at YouTube

 

 

If they scaled it up they'd have an imperial walker ;)

 

~modest

[Jay-qu]

Turtle and Craig think alike :)

 

Re: Great Science at YouTube

 

 

If they scaled it up they'd have an imperial walker ;)

 

~modest

I thought I saw this here a while back, I just didnt know where ;)

 

It does look creepy especially when it slips because it looks like such an animal reaction ie it looks almost frantic as it tries to regain its balance. Incredible.

[Moontanman]

Has anyone seen the little robot from Honda? It's about 4 feet tall and looks like a man in a space suit. It can even go up and down steps. It is really cool but not much use yet. Oh yeah, it can dance too.

[Thunderbird]

Has anyone seen the little robot from Honda? It's about 4 feet tall and looks like a man in a space suit. It can even go up and down steps. It is really cool but not much use yet. Oh yeah, it can dance too.

ASIMO.

 

I like these guy's

 

YouTube - Dancing Sony Robots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vwZ5FQEUFg&feature=related

[CraigD]

Has anyone seen the little robot from Honda? It's about 4 feet tall and looks like a man in a space suit.

They’re ASIMOs.

 

Key differences from the BigDog – other than the obvious 2 legs vs. 4, and smaller size – include

• ASIMOs are battery powered and servomotor driven vs. gas motor powered and hydraulic – ASIMOs appear to have a much lower power/mass ratio.
  
• As best I can tell, ASIMOs are only good on level surfaces and stairs. Push one, I suspect, and it’ll fall. Though they have they’re not as reactive as the BigDog.
  

ASIMOs’re also way more available – according to the wikipedia article, you can rent one of the 46 existing ASIMOs for US$160,000/year. ;) As best I can tell, there’s only 1 BigDog in existence.

[Boerseun]

Awesome!

 

Creepy, but awesome.

 

And all fun and games for the next ten years or so, until DARPA spills the rest of the beans to Boston Dynamics - the original reason for the BigDog's existence, which the poor sods at Boston Dynamics have (as yet) no clue about:

 

That there BigDog needs a gun.

 

A big, fat, heavy 50 cal mounted on its back, with hundreds of pounds of ammo. And then send them in their thousands to some poor country thats currently kicking against the stream as dictated by Washington. Control them over the Internets, and Bob's your aunt.

[TheBigDog]

Awesome!

 

Creepy, but awesome.

 

And all fun and games for the next ten years or so, until DARPA spills the rest of the beans to Boston Dynamics - the original reason for the BigDog's existence, which the poor sods at Boston Dynamics have (as yet) no clue about:

 

That there BigDog needs a gun.

 

A big, fat, heavy 50 cal mounted on its back, with hundreds of pounds of ammo. And then send them in their thousands to some poor country thats currently kicking against the stream as dictated by Washington. Control them over the Internets, and Bob's your aunt.

The militarized versions will actually look like steer, with guns firing out of the horns and much bigger overall size. They will also be enviro-friendly, running on whatever greenery they can grind in their mechanized mouths. If you kick one it will right itself and then vivisect you before depositing its spent leafy fuel in your exposed body cavity. This is where the tricky technology takes over. Nanites in the spent fuel begin to deconstruct your corps into another militarized cow!

 

For safety they are all equipped with a large bell.

 

Bill