Army’s Robot-Man Walks Like the Real Thing

[akigr8]

source: wired

The makers of the eerily lifelike robotic mule have a new creation: a machine that walks around like a real human being. Boston Dynamics is building the “Petman” prototype for the U.S. Army, to test out protective clothing.

“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.

Some youtube videos of other cool robots:

Bigdog:

Robot fish:

Titan Robot made by Panasonic

[jaydot]

that's an interestingly different hip arrangement. would that mine worked as well.

[Made Of Stars]

Skynet! Skynet!

[natselrox]

Juan Enriquez mentioned about BigDog in his TED talk. Fascinating stuff!



Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

[akigr8]

Juan Enriquez mentioned about BigDog in his TED talk. Fascinating stuff!
Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

Incredible!!
Exciting future indeed

[natselrox]

Juan Enriquez mentioned about BigDog in his TED talk. Fascinating stuff!
Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

Incredible!!
Exciting future indeed

I love when someone feels it!! Thanks!

[akigr8]

Juan Enriquez mentioned about BigDog in his TED talk. Fascinating stuff!
Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

Incredible!!
Exciting future indeed

I love when someone feels it!! Thanks!

How can you not feel it
Thanks for sharing

[GrayToneS]

I saw the bigdog on discovery channel, but I didnt see it gallop or leap!!!! They also cut out the sound of a running engine and I thought it was battery powered, turns out its powered by a two-stroke, one-cylinder, 15-HP go-kart engine.

Here's a robot that was mentioned but didnt get as much camera time. I thought it was amazing how the padded feet use Van Der Waals forces to induce electrostatic cling to allow it to stick to glass, or any smooth surface for that matter.

Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

Fascinating indeed!!!
I've never heard the term 'Homo-Evolutus'.

[akigr8]

Here's the Scratchbot from Bristol Robotics Lab uses its whiskers to detect disaster survivors in inhospitable or dangerous areas. The Bristol Robotics Laboratory developed the rat-inspired people searcher over the past 6 years and now hopes to find interest for it in underground and underwater projects where vision may be impaired. Far less heroic uses are also being contemplated, such as textile inspection and implementation inside intelligent vacuum cleaners that would be able to adjust their cleaning to the particular surface they sense.

ECCCEROBOT (Embodied Cognition in a Compliantly Engineered Robot) is a three-year project funded by the 7th framework programme of the EU (ICT-Challenge 2, "Cognitive Systems, Interaction, Robotics") that has the goal to build and control the first anthropomimetic robot and finally, to investigate its human-like cognitive features.

Eccerobot

[I'm With Stupid]

I prefer Mr. Woo's robots.

[akigr8]

What a cool guy, and all self taught

[rustyness]

Juan Enriquez mentioned about BigDog in his TED talk. Fascinating stuff!



Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

Some of this reminds me of the film, Gattaca - a clever film that highlights interesting issues.

[natselrox]

Juan Enriquez mentioned about BigDog in his TED talk. Fascinating stuff!



Watch this! Perhaps appropriate in this connection!

Some of this reminds me of the film, Gattaca - a clever film that highlights interesting issues.

Some strong statements in that film!! Even got a mention in the DNA by James Watson.

[THWOTH]

source: wired

[c]

"You're clothes. Give them to me..."

[100thIdiot]

They've come a long way since the beta with BigDog:

[Szymanowski]

[RuleBritannia]

The end is nigh, soon the machines will revolt.

[life]

SCARY

[alphabravo]

I'd seen Big Dog before, but that bipedal robot is just astounding! Thanks for sharing

[Dudely]

Bookmarked!