The Defense Department's New Robot Dogs
It's been said that a dog is a man's best friend. It's also been said that one day robots will take over the world and put us all to work doing their bidding. So, it's with conflicted feelings that we report on a new robot dog, one that has the potential to be a little more useful than Sony's dearly departed (and frequently copied) Aibo. This new robo-mutt, called LittleDog, has been developed at American robotics company Boston Dynamics for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA). The hope is that it will someday become a battle-ready companion for soldiers at war.
The dogs, which at this point look something like a boom-box with legs, have been delivered to various top robotics universities around the country, including MIT, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon, for them to develop the best software to control the bots. Each month the universities will send in their latest versions of the software they develop for DARPA scientists to put through its paces, tasking the robot pooches with scampering over obstacles and the like, as shown in the above test video that demonstrates current submissions from Carnegie Mellon and USC.
What exactly the military will do with these dogs remains to be seen, but scouting and recon along with possible supply delivery seem perfectly reasonable. Games of fetch, however, are probably out of the question ... at least until someone grafts a head onto these suckers.
From New Scientist Tech
Related Links:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael @ Sep 27th 2007 11:05AM
arf!
hoodedcrowman @ Sep 27th 2007 11:38AM
definitely still in it's puppy stages, but kinda cute... too bad it'll be used for killing.
Lizzychan @ Sep 27th 2007 12:25PM
that looks great! Imagine if that robot is perfected it could help sniff out bombs, or find people buried under rubble if the area is too dangerous for humans or dogs to go into.
brad @ Sep 27th 2007 1:17PM
Let's see Michael Vick try to kill these dogs. That would be cool. Robotic dogfighting. I wonder if this robot dog would try to hump a robot person's leg?
brad @ Sep 27th 2007 1:18PM
It isn't anything a shotgun wouldn't take care of.
doc @ Sep 27th 2007 1:21PM
fantastic! i hope they put an alligator-like mouth on it to rip muslim freaks into tiny pieces!!!!
Michael @ Sep 27th 2007 1:48PM
For those that may not know "cahones" are the two baby makers that hang out below the big baby maker.
Michael @ Sep 27th 2007 1:51PM
why did you take my two earlier comments off, when adding the last one?
cm @ Sep 27th 2007 2:42PM
It Looks like a roach
M. @ Mar 10th 2008 7:37AM
That's just creepy
dale @ Mar 10th 2008 11:37AM
Super cool a dog that does'nt eat or need grooming or anything.I want one or two for yard guards..
elsie @ Mar 16th 2008 3:31PM
I hope they put an alligator-like mouth on it to rip Israeli freaks into tiny pieces!!
Mikenaluv4u @ Mar 18th 2008 1:00AM
I think the video was really cool. How about a tire changer model for my automobile. I really would like a roof inspector so I don't need to go up there if thats available. Just contact me sometime and we will get working on inspection, I'll join for a Southern Distributorship in Alabama.
Steven @ Mar 21st 2008 8:46AM
The ultimate tool for big brother. Picture hundreds of thousands of these in your city, town, neighborhood or street keeping a watch on everything everyone does, every move, every sound. Can you imagine talking to your buddy and saying "Lets not talk here, a dog is listening"? With enough of these "dogs" (surveillance tools) the right software and equipment big brother will know and see everything we do... Of course we will be told that they are wandering thru our yard for our own protection. A sad day is on the horizon.
jimw @ Mar 21st 2008 1:59PM
Do they come with doggie cleanup bags?