The Mule (Now known as BigDog) quadraped robot is back!

[ChrisGrenard]

And better than ever. Just wait till near the end of the video.

[Peacedog]

Assuming it's legit. . .

1) I, for one, welcome our new robotic overlords

2) That thing passed up on a lot of harvestable resources, so the firmware might need some tweaking

3) Killer Bees are incapable of defeating that thing. They are POWERLESS.

[ChrisGrenard]

It's totally legit. Saw it about 2 years ago when it was simply able to go over slightly gravely ground without falling. I must admit that I nearly yelled out when I saw it actually jump.

Edit: Here's the video I was referring to. And yup, it's almost exactly 2 years old now!

[Turtle]

Doesn't surprise me at all. All they really did was simulate known animal locomotion. The really amazing thing isn't the motion itself since those movements are copied from similar animals, it's the programming that allows the robot to recognize when to use various movement methods and rough terrain.

When you consider that we have similar technology running in real-time in games (dynamic physics based entities that react to the world, moving each section of each limb in physics to try and stay upright), it's no stretch to think that they can get it working in the real-world. The main difficulty is obstacle recognition and the decision making about how to overcome obstacles and rough terrain.

[CeeKay]

ok, seriously, if I was a hunter in the woods, and I saw/heard that thing coming I'd be unloading all of my ordinance into it post haste.

[Fretmute]

ok, seriously, if I was a hunter in the woods, and I saw/heard that thing coming I'd be unloading all of my ordinance into it post haste.

That might not be a great idea, since it seems to be powered by angry bees.

[ChrisGrenard]

ok, seriously, if I was a hunter in the woods, and I saw/heard that thing coming I'd be unloading all of my ordinance into it post haste.

That might not be a great idea, since it seems to be powered by angry bees.

The bullets are only making them angrier!!!

[Bob]

If the idea is that the thing will carry equipment alongside human troops they better give everyone earplugs.

[Daehawk]

Maybe they'll make a battery pack unit for stealth missions.

[Grundbegriff]

The Mule (Now known as BigDog) quadraped robot is back!

I thought this was going to be a thread about multi-core cybersexual assault.

[Brian]

I can still hear the theme song.

[Hispanicgamer]

I can still hear the theme song.

I almost cried when I heard that song. My little brother loved to play that game. We haven't talked in months and I'm gonna ring him up and see if remembers playing it.

I think I would run if I saw that thing in the forest. Now all they have to do is put a mini-gun on it and set it loose in Iraq!

[Smoove_B]

Please. Like it wouldn't have a portably nuclear power supply. Or a Mr. Fusion. I'm pretty impressed with the way it responds to someone trying to kick it over. With no clear head, how do you know which end to have sex with?

[The Meal]

Please. Like it wouldn't have a portably nuclear power supply. Or a Mr. Fusion. I'm pretty impressed with the way it responds to someone trying to kick it over. With no clear head, how do you know which end to have sex with?

I got kinda sad when they kicked it. Does that make me a freak?

~Neal

[abr]

Please. Like it wouldn't have a portably nuclear power supply. Or a Mr. Fusion. I'm pretty impressed with the way it responds to someone trying to kick it over. With no clear head, how do you know which end to have sex with?

I got kinda sad when they kicked it. Does that make me a freak?

~Neal

No, it doesn't, I actually felt the same.

Since this thing moves very much like an animal would, it's only natural (at least for us non-serial-killers-to-be) that an empathy reaction sets in.

[CeeKay]

Please. Like it wouldn't have a portably nuclear power supply. Or a Mr. Fusion. I'm pretty impressed with the way it responds to someone trying to kick it over. With no clear head, how do you know which end to have sex with?

I got kinda sad when they kicked it. Does that make me a freak?

~Neal

I was kinda hoping the thing would kick back myself.

[Kelric]

I felt bad for it when it got kicked, as well as trying to go over the ice.

[MHS]

If the idea is that the thing will carry equipment alongside human troops they better give everyone earplugs.

Doesn't it seem more like it would be programmed to go where humans couldn't?

[Smoove_B]

I got kinda sad when they kicked it. Does that make me a freak?

~Neal

No, it just means your a robot sympathizer. And you'll be first against the wall when the metal ones try to start a revolution.

[The Meal]

I got kinda sad when they kicked it. Does that make me a freak?

No, it just means your a robot sympathizer. And you'll be first against the wall when the metal ones try to start a revolution.

Dude, I'm *creating* our robot overlords as we speak. I don't worry about them putting me up against the wall. It's the many-tentacled-ones which could get to me first that keep me up at night.

Hail! Hail! Zener diodes!

~Neal

[Gryndyl]

I can still hear the theme song.

I almost cried when I heard that song. My little brother loved to play that game. We haven't talked in months and I'm gonna ring him up and see if remembers playing it.

I think I would run if I saw that thing in the forest. Now all they have to do is put a mini-gun on it and set it loose in Iraq!

That was an awesome game. And yeah, that bot gave me MULE vibes.

[Big Jake]

Hmm, sympathy for a robot animal getting kicked. The uncanny valley applies to robot animals too?

Someone, quick, throw a bearskin rug on that thing so we can all feel happy when it gets kicked!

[Kelric]

Hmm, sympathy for a robot animal getting kicked. The uncanny valley applies to robot animals too?

Someone, quick, throw a bearskin rug on that thing so we can all feel happy when it gets kicked!

I'd feel bad for a bear getting kicked, too.

Now, if it looked like a human... I'd probably just laugh.

[The Meal]

I work in robotics right now, so my uncanny valley is a bit different than the norm.

~Neal

[CeeKay]

Hmm, sympathy for a robot animal getting kicked. The uncanny valley applies to robot animals too?

Someone, quick, throw a bearskin rug on that thing so we can all feel happy when it gets kicked!

I'd feel bad for a bear getting kicked, too.

Now, if it looked like a human... I'd probably just laugh.

a bear kicking a human would be hilarious!

[YellowKing]

Couldn't they at least put a cheap papier mache head on the damn thing? Gahhhh! It's creepy without a head!!!

[qp]

Couldn't they at least put a cheap papier mache head on the damn thing? Gahhhh! It's creepy without a head!!!

I vote for a Burger King, King Mask!

[tiny ogre]

Here's more footage of the beta version

[Crabbs]

Here's more footage of the beta version

My brother sent me that this morning, very funny. Love the ending.

[Hispanicgamer]

Here's more footage of the beta version

That was F-ing hilarious! I was crying laughing so hard!!

[Isgrimnur]

Now brought you by Google:

Google purchased Boston Dynamics as part of its larger strategy to invest in robotics development.
...
The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — better known as DARPA — recognized the cutting edge work being done at Boston Dynamics early and has awarded multiple development contracts to the company. Boston Dynamics is working on high profile projects for the military such as the Big Dog, which is now officially named the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) by the Marine Corps.
...
Google officials have said the company will still honor the remaining contracts that Boston Dynamics has with DARPA, but it seems evident that DARPA may have to find a new laboratory to develop their next robotics projects.
...
Notably, Google doesn’t have to worry about sequestration or Congressional budgets. It can use it’s [sic] large capital reserve to sink in the money necessary to advance robotics at a rapid pace.

[LordMortis]

So Google says: "We don't need no stinking military projects. We just need they're development companies." Should we be scared?

[stessier]

So Google says: "We don't need no stinking military projects. We just need they're development companies." Should we be scared?

No. Typos in the government sector are just as common as the private sector.

[$iljanus]

Now brought you by Google:

Google purchased Boston Dynamics as part of its larger strategy to invest in robotics development.
...
The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — better known as DARPA — recognized the cutting edge work being done at Boston Dynamics early and has awarded multiple development contracts to the company. Boston Dynamics is working on high profile projects for the military such as the Big Dog, which is now officially named the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) by the Marine Corps.
...
Google officials have said the company will still honor the remaining contracts that Boston Dynamics has with DARPA, but it seems evident that DARPA may have to find a new laboratory to develop their next robotics projects.
...
Notably, Google doesn’t have to worry about sequestration or Congressional budgets. It can use it’s [sic] large capital reserve to sink in the money necessary to advance robotics at a rapid pace.

They're just wanting a head start in the upcoming Corporate Wars. They'll need something to counter the Bezos drone fleet. Of course whomever wins, we lose as the "consumers" become laborers on the server farms pulling rare earth metals from obsolete devices.

Time to start tagging "John Connor Lives!" and stockpiling stuff for the resistance...

[Isgrimnur]

Thankfully, I should be able to get into the software world for data tracking, if not training into AI development. A lot of the rest of you are screwed.

[coopasonic]

Thankfully, I should be able to get into the software world for data tracking, if not training into AI development. A lot of the rest of you are screwed.

I think overlords would be offended at the idea you could improve their AI. Best to not even bring it up.

[Isgrimnur]

I was thinking more like low level stuff. Like kill tracking, ammo counts, that sort of thing. I wouldn't deign to think I could impact the kill, pillage, destroy algorithms for many, many years.

[Zarathud]

I want to see the BigDog in Wasteland 2...complete with the Angry Bees.

[Daehawk]

How about The Sand Flea jumping bot.

LittleDog 1
LittleDog 2

[Isgrimnur]

Stand clear!

ig Dog, the four-legged Boston Dynamics’ robot that until now looked more like a headless horse, finally has something resembling a head.

The company developing the robo-beast with the Army Research Laboratory funding calls in an arm, though, and in a recent video you can see it grabbing, lifting and hurling 35-lb cinder blocks to the side and rear.
...
It’s easy to see the advantage of having a robot mule able to clear its own path. In the video demonstration Big Dog’s best cinderblock throw was about 17 feet.