[Russkie]

A Massachusetts engineering firm known for creating futuristic military robots has received multimillion dollar contracts to develop two more battlefield bots for the Department of Defense.

Boston Dynamics, which in 2008 unveiled a four-legged robot called BigDog, has been tapped by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the research and development arm of the DOD, to create a human-like robot and an agile, robotic Cheetah that developers said will eventually be able to run 70 mph.

WATCH VIDEO OF THE BIGDOG BELOW

The human-like bot, Atlas, will have two arms and legs, but no head, and be able to walk and jog upright, climb, squeeze through narrow alleyways and use its hands, Boston Dynamics said.

The Terminator-like droid would represent a step forward from Boston Dynamic's current anthropomorphic robot, known at PETMAN, which is used to test chemical weapons protection suits for the Army.

WATCH VIDEO OF THE PETMAN BELOW

The Cheetah will walk and sprint on four legs and will be designed to turn corners, zig-zag and start and stop on a dime.

Though the robocat will be able to run faster than humans and seems to be suited for chasing down enemy prey, the company said it was more interested in advancing the technology, rather than developing the robots' battlefield responsibilities.

"They're not so focused on what the ultimate use will be," Marc Raibert, lead investigator of the Cheetah program and Boston Dynamics' president, told the Boston Herald. "They're most focused on developing the technology and seeing what uses they can be applied to."

Eventually, the robots would be used for "emergency response, firefighting, advanced agriculture and vehicular travel" in areas inaccessible to tanks, Humvees and other wheeled vehicles, the company said.

The first Cheetah model is due in 20 months, and engineers are hoping it will be able to run 30 mph.

The company's BigDog turned heads three years ago when the company released videos showing it trotting over rocky and snowy terrain with a surprisingly lifelike gait.

The cyberbeast was designed to serve alongside soldiers as a robotic pack mule, with the ability to carry more than 300 pounds of military gear.

Boston Dynamics isn't the only company developing robotic animals for use during warfare.

On Friday, a California company unveiled a tiny spy plane resembling a hummingbird.

The "nano-hummingbird," developed by AeroVironment in Simi Valley, Calif., has a 6.5-inch wingspan and can record sights and sounds on a video camera in its stomach.

Developers said the miniature craft is designed to hover in the air and gather intelligence without the enemy noticing.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... z1FGruN6fV

Looks impressive. Can it take on HRP-2 or Asimo?

[Beren]

The human-like bot, Atlas, will have two arms and legs, but no head

Ideal soldier.

Can it take on HRP-2 or Asimo?

I don't think so. Japanese robots are designed to work, not to kill. That's why they need to be more intelligent and they can't be headless.

[The Clockwork Rat]

[youtube]cNZPRsrwumQ[/youtube]

Pretty impressive gait, though for all it can do it looks pretty hefty.

[soron]

Those are typical 'phishing for R&D funds' projects. Why on earth would you need a two-legged robot if wheels are far more efficient ? Use computer-controlled electronic shocks to give it the ability to jump over obstacles. This is the usual multi-million dollar proof-of-concept nonsense that will die a quiet death during field testing.

[dudekebm]

Actually if you wanted a robot-killing-machine for military use, I'm wondering why it would even need to be anthropomorphic.

[Thunderhawk]

Oh god, why is bigdog a reference point? Its loud and has a limited functional time span due to its thirsty engine. I like that research is done and moved forward, but if you are going to be talking about possible uses then reference a something that has been successfully applied in the real world, not a proof of concept piece.

[danholo]

Actually if you wanted a robot-killing-machine for military use, I'm wondering why it would even need to be anthropomorphic.

I'd say it's more versatile on different kinds of terrain, given that it is sufficiently balanced and doesn't do the infamous "Robocop Stair Fail". At more advanced stages it might be able to jump, even, and might be a very fast runner.

[Beren]

the infamous "Robocop Stair Fail"

It's interesting that ED-209 came to your mind, it would be a more realistic project and the Pentagon would be happy with it for sure. Perhaps the IDF could deploy some units in Gaza Strip or South Lebanon, they could work together with Merkavas pretty well, what do you think? Do you think the Americans would share the source codes with Israel?

[dudekebm]

I'd say it's more versatile on different kinds of terrain, given that it is sufficiently balanced and doesn't do the infamous "Robocop Stair Fail". At more advanced stages it might be able to jump, even, and might be a very fast runner.

The main goal of these sorts of things are to kill as many of the enemy without killing one of your own 'human' soldiers.

If we're talking about an "ED-209 Stair Fail", you're basically talking about a huge automaton which was probably built that way because of the massive firepower resident in it. It's basically like putting what would normally be a tank on walking stilts, where you're handicapping your mobility when tank treads would be more stable and would work for a massive firepower design a lot better. I'm more surprised the ED-209 could stay standing while firing and not sliding across the floor from recoil of what looked like the friggin' 100mm machine guns seen on AC-130's in its arms.

Personally if we're doing movie references, I'd opt for something more along the lines of the Smaller HK's from Terminator III, which seemed to be smaller automaton versions of harriers with VTOL capacity. That would be deadly for urban assault. Drones that could hover and are armed to the teeth. No worry about navigating stairs as long as there's enough clearance in the stairwell and that would be a rare case anyways strategy-wise. You'd use these initially like we use gunships and AC-130's: strafe and blow the hell out of the target and then send them down to survey the damage and kill a few lucky ones that might have survived. For urban assault if you could make them small enough, the ability to fly through alleyways and your opponents not really being able to hear them until they're right on top of them (use similar silencing methods as some of the stealth helicopters) would be enough to make them quite effective.

I know this sounds dastardly of me to state such things but I'm only looking at efficiency of automatons as killing machines, not the obvious moral implications here. Personally I liked the reference I once read about war (I think it might have been in "All Quiet on the Western Front"): if there has to be a war, put both leaders of the opposing factions in the boxing ring with one another. Let them duke it out, and then the winner can negotiate what's to be done afterwards. But I digress.

[Smilin' Dave]

It's interesting that ED-209 came to your mind, it would be a more realistic project and the Pentagon would be happy with it for sure. Perhaps the IDF could deploy some units in Gaza Strip or South Lebanon, they could work together with Merkavas pretty well, what do you think? Do you think the Americans would share the source codes with Israel?

Would a ED-209-type machine really fill a role that tanks cannot currently do?

Why on earth would you need a two-legged robot if wheels are far more efficient ? Use computer-controlled electronic shocks to give it the ability to jump over obstacles.

Somewhat agree, but advantages would be adaptability (legs and hands give you a useful range of movement) and better ability to handle rough terrain as opposed to individual obstacles.

[MB.]

Would a ED-209-type machine really fill a role that tanks cannot currently do?

Ed-209 is riot control niche, not MBT niche. It's like the ultimate occupation vehicle. Beats the hell out of the MRAP vehicles.
(presuming you don't mind it malfunctioning and massacring civilians here and there-- hey, exactly like occupying soldiers!)
Would there by any opposition in America to the Iraqi government if they were the primary buyer of Ed-209s?

[Igor Antunov]

It would be much cheaper and more efficient to give a man a gun and send him off to battle. The more you know.

[Zerogouki]

It would be much cheaper and more efficient to give a man a gun and send him off to battle. The more you know.

Yeah, but that's of no relevance to the reptilian overlords who control the Illuminati and are trying to create a real Skynet.

[NYYS]

It would be much cheaper and more efficient to give a man a gun and send him off to battle. The more you know.

Would it, though? Say, hypothetically, this thing can run 70mph like it says, agilely, never misses a shot, and doesn't go down after taking a single bullet. It doesn't need a salary or pension. Costs will inevitably come down, in time (all hail capitalism). I could see it becoming more efficient, eventually.

[Igor Antunov]

Yeah except this thing moves and behaves like a retarded toddler. Were not there yet. We will be, but this thing has few applications of the sort you bring up. It's just a transitional bit of test equipment.

When I see a capable terminator-like machine then I will be impressed.

[Zerogouki]

When I see a capable terminator-like machine then I will be killed.

Fixed.

[U184]

I would be surprised if this was meant to be strictly autonomous, a remote operator makes more sense for some scenarios. However, having an anthropomorphic shape, allows for interactions with items meant to be used by Human hands. Also large, or wheeled machinery, would not be useful in a closed room to room situation.

I do not see a mass droid army coming anytime soon, however use of droids in selected environments, for specific scenarios, is already being implemented. The onset of a human shaped droid allows for use/operation of many devices.

Mostly droids will be/have been used in support roles and as special use applications.

Machines, have their place in the scheme of things, but are only meant to be an additive to normal Humans, not a means to replace them.