Unbelievable: Boston Dynamics BigDog (March '08)

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Boston Dynamics, Bigdog, Robots, Military, Transportation

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BDI just released a new video of the Big Dog on ice and snow, and also demoing its walking gait.

From Gizmodo:
Boston Dynamics keeps working on their BigDog quadruped robot, which will probably grow to be the future AT-AT of the Pentagon. Its evolution since the last time we saw it is nothing sort of mindblowing, and a bit spooky.

It looks like an actual biological quadruped. Seeing it climb through rubble, snow, jumping over obstacles like a wild goat, and saving a near-fall on iced ground at the last second (fast forward to the middle of the video) defies belief. It feels so "animal" that I almost feel bad when they hit it to demonstrate how it regains balance on its own.

The new version of the robot can now carry 340 pounds, which is almost triple the previous weight. It looks to me that that $10 million funding they got from Darpa has been put to good use. [IEEE]

  1. By: theBabeMaster
  2. Categories Science & Tech
  3. Views 208,526
  4. Added :19-Mar-08
Comments on Unbelievable: Boston Dynamics BigDog (March '08)
Other comments on this video
  • OK, admit it...

    Who felt sorry for it when the guy kicked it at 0:36?

    I know he's just demonstrating its amazing reactive balance, but still, they need to develop it so that it can kick back!

    By Atomic Shrimp 1206001840
    • yeah i felt sorry but...

      this looks like something out of a metal gear game

      the leg shape and all.

      By nhahg 1208532782
  • hope for disabled

    when will this technology be available for disabled people? That`s what I wonder. Will be the heaven for most of them

    By emux49 1206388239
  • looks like it should have 2 men inside

    thats amazing - but its name is big dog but it sounds and looks like a fly why is that? l am shure the army will find many ways for it to kill people useing this !!!

    By tellak 1205991337
    • for military use

      surely for man killing machine, its funded bt them.

      By pinoybigbrother 1205997000
    • haha!

      yes, the enemy will probobly get scared by that awfull noice!

      Who would stand being around that?

      By poliiiiz 1206047697
    • True

      I think my 6 yr old could out-run it ( or hide under it)

      By JonnyBadde 1206122317
    • Totally~

      I thought the same thing! And the video looks digitally altered.

      Let's keep in mind that when astronuats are blasted into space they wear depends until the reach orbit. They aren't as advanced as most people would like to believe. They are doing amazing stuff, don't get me wrong. They just don't waste money as much they use to.

      Know what they use to repair the tiles in space? A tool from the paint department.

      And, they never go into "outer space" only to our outer atmosphere.

      The pens are great you can buy them in the NASA's gift shop.

      By bootlesstxcowgirl 1207292525
  • Damn!

    That is just down right creepy.

    By max_headroom 1205987405
    • Yep...

      I wish i could see Bin Laden face when this thing comes walking into his cave

      By NaturalBornKiller 1206193631
    • That thing

      looks scary. Like a headless horse. Imagine it galloping at night.

      By Mad Knack 1206395685
  • Right so this is the best robotics can m...

    Well let me share a joke.. once the us had a problem with pens not working in the space.. They made years research spending millions to make a pen that worked in space.. The Russians were working with pencils.. GET some tank wheels.. its called catterpilar

    By coltakias1 1206035662
    • ?

      I see your point ,but do caterpillar tracks have the capability of jumping mines?

      By millionlux 1207323507
    • Not true

      The story about the Fisher pen and how the russian worked with a much less expensive pencil its an urban legend.

      By arroni 1206233069
  • Whoa

    that is amazin, see wot the future holds but if sum1 seen this in the woods they would shait there self!

    By jason mcb 1205989861
  • Yeah

    yeeau hooooooot..btw check out LiveDona.com for really hot girls

    By celesterodriguezp45 1274209380
  • what the ...

    at first i thought it was a prank, I was searching the two guys bodys inside the thing. then, with a clear shoot ... crap! was real, amazing! congrats guys.

    By .fer 1222496791
  • More likely for NASA use

    seems like it can carry heavy load, or the current ROV couldn't cope with different terrain? just my opinion..

    By mongater 1209748353
  • The future

    It's beautiful and scary at the same time. Kind of make you wonder how far are we willing to go.

    By Pengtok 1209397029
  • .

    looked like 2 guys carrying a big pack when it went up the hill...Ha ha ha...

    By goldencoin 1208371429
  • .

    Looked like 2 skinny guys trying 2 haul around a Big pack when it was going up the hill..Ha ha ha...

    By goldencoin 1208371276
  • Amazing

    Get that on mars with a decent camera and well get better pictures than the little rc truck up there at the moment """"'

    By andysco 1207818465
  • Fake

    You can't see that it's not real? It's people!

    By bootlesstxcowgirl 1207291680
  • whats the poin of that big dog

    .

    By thebest#1 1207060558
  • CREEPY!

    The noise is probably from a small gas motor that powers the beast. It can be used for recon missions, can carry a weapon or just shuttle supplies through a danger zone. Great invention. Needs a face on it.

    By mudrock00 1207005235
  • atomic shrimp... ;)

    im felt sorry too... ;( that machine looks so live.... ;(

    By indigo xXx... 1206792763
  • yeah

    i cant wait for this machine to get in action with USA army
    with all the noise this S**t make they ll be an easy target and shortly all dead =D

    By nickodemo 1206641430
  • Que pena me dan algunos!!!

    Lastimosamente lo unico que se les ocurre a muchos esque pueda servir de instrumento de guerra;que verguenza da saber que ese instinto bestial esta a flor de piel en muchos seres humanos.Felicito a los que pensaron que podria servir de protesis para bien del hombre.

    By palito06 1206595487
  • As for noise

    those who mentioned apparently were not able to grasp that the engine used to power this development platform is only temporary, so the noise you hear is not relevant. The dollars are being spent on the robotic controls, and the results have been very impressive so far.

    By bored-kiwi 1206477935
  • Increible


    Será increible cuando reduzcan el tamaño, el consumo y lo hagan con solo dos piernas para que una persona que haya perdido la movilidad pueda de nuevo andar indicando instrucciones simplemente conectando la máquina al cerebro, será la era de los cyborgs!!

    By BLaNiCK 1206393317
  • Awesome

    Robots are evolving at an impressive rate.

    By NITEBREED 1206325623
  • Good stuff

    This is the best AI I've seen yet. Like to see what it'll do when it falls down, how does it get up?

    The acceleration sensor in this thing is awesome! I want to get one!!

    Finally, a background music to the clip will be nice.

    By poooooof 1206298712
  • Dios mio.....

    Es totalmente increible!!!!!!!

    By Jonigigolo 1206282902
  • miliary business?

    well maybe we can see the born of terminator, later that crap starts to kill humans. My question is, who has to be the first human to die with this junk? has to be with machine gun or laser gun? who knows but its true one day this thing has to kill humans.

    By DrCassiel 1206233300
  • Not so great

    Great in the lab, but outside, with that noise, if it is for troops, they are dead.

    By avidlurkviewer 1206217306
  • awesome

    very cool!

    By Joe Gus 1206192568
  • !!!!!

    es...es impresionante!!

    By driuk 1206189352
  • whoa! It looks like ...

    two guys from Mumenchance (mime) fighting over an oversized backpack

    By Takeabyte 1206167472
  • OMG

    this is MGS4 coming to life. The era of war is coming. That thing resembles a drunk dog, but still; the reflexes are just amazing.

    By a.zawawi 1206158332
  • extremely advanced

    very cool the level of technology is amazing

    By danlilea 1206105224
  • that is the end of

    HORSE RACING AS WE KNOW IT,WHO WILL WIN DA BUZZZING CUP, MAN THE RSPCA WILL BE GLAD,NO MORE HORSES FOR DA GLUE FACTORY LOL,BESIDE HALL JOKES IT IS A GOOD INVENTION,GOOD IF YOU GO CAMPING

    By the last prophet 1206101013
  • good robot

    but you don't want such a noisy thing carry luggage for you when you are marching.

    By neziticy 1206089393
  • Aplicaciones civiles

    ¡ Increible ! Dentro de poco se acabarán las sillas de ruedas.

    By Ramboloco4 1206084835
  • NAJA !

    but can it make a cup of coffee?

    By gasbubbles 1206080957
  • creppy and amazing

    anazing and creppy look like is real life

    By juliet8810 1206078746
  • hmm

    I think it will be used to carry supply's not for killing people

    By mstrgmmstr 1206072381
  • Sorry, not impressed

    Walks around - do what? Does it cook?

    By Big Prick 1206070847
  • Awesome!

    That is so cool - they need to get rid of that annoying buzzing noise, though.

    Sure as hell not going to sneek up on anyone with that thing buzzing like a walking chainsaw.

    By Aspidrador 1206060765
  • :-SS

    This thing scare the !@#$ out of me!!!!

    By AlexM29 1206055132
  • that does look eerie but cool

    looks like something off that game half-life2

    By BigPhil 1206036235
  • ça fait flipper

    c'est dingue ça fait vraiment peur ce genre de truc !!!

    By _all_star_ 1206023849
  • Gas powered!

    They need to get a silencer on that exhaust pipe

    By Spudnut3 1206001010
  • OMG as if you would kick a dog

    yeh...looks more like a fly

    By 8leaf 1205994295
    • wow wow

      amazing, let's make a monster!!! people can ride on it with rocket and machine guns... :D and send them to IRAQ

      By MillionT 1206005034
  • magic thing

    COOL! ones

    By Delmoe 1205991320
  • Future or machines

    you saw when he kicked it and it did't fell down?!?! that's amazing, looks like UFO!!

    By PolishGeek 1205985589
    • wat?

      wat?

      By zelowlifeaiss 1205989911
    • what?

      UFO: Unidentified FLYING Object.

      By 99turbosaab 1206072223
  • err

    can it run?

    By kennlim 1206156236
  • this thing

    is really cool. I'm going to go make me one. Put a flame thrower on it, and a couple of 104mm cannons. I'll name it the fly, due to the way it buzzes all the time.

    By dogbreth 1206109416
  • That is amazing.

    There is the future of pets. You could have a different animal each day.

    By ozipitbull 1205978619
61 Comments
 

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