Cool, somewhat creepy video of four legged robot

Lord of the Abyss · Post by **Lord of the Abyss** » 2008-03-18 11:37am

Link to vid !

I don't recall this being posted before. The thing moves in a surprisingly lifelike way; watching it recover on ice or after being shoved looked like what an animal would do in the same situation. Combined with the sound it comes across like Attack of the Fly Cyborgs.

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2008-03-18 11:50am

That's almost as cool as the high pitched whine of the engine is annoying.

It was rather eerie seeing it slip about on the ice, with the legs configured as they are it looked rather like two people wrestling.

Are there any viable powerpacks on the horizon that could make something like this viable in the future? Would it be possible to silence an internal combustion one enough?

Koolaidkirby · Post by **Koolaidkirby** » 2008-03-18 12:07pm

Wow... watching it slip on the ice was kinda spooky how life-like it was... it looked like a real animal slipping around trying to keep on its feet

tim31 · Post by **tim31** » 2008-03-18 01:06pm

That really dipped into the uncanny valley for me.

When the dude kicked it and it stumbled I went "awww" and then suddenly felt a bit sick...

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2008-03-18 01:15pm

Definitely cool and creepy, but hasn't this been posted about 5 times now?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-03-18 01:18pm

Excellent. And soon we can have Gekkous patrolling Iraq and A-stan.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2008-03-18 01:37pm

I'm at work, so I watched it with the sound off...it looks cute, and for modern robotics, seriously impressive. I can't wait to see what they build next...

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2008-03-18 01:43pm

Superman wrote:Definitely cool and creepy, but hasn't this been posted about 5 times now?

I haven't seen the walking through the snow, over breeze blocks & slipping on ice before. It looks like they've improved things a fair bit since the last video I remember being posted.

Gullible Jones · Post by **Gullible Jones** » 2008-03-18 02:06pm

Loud and not very fast, and it seems to suck at going over piles of rubble - needs better proprioception maybe? Still, very impressive.

Plekhanov wrote: Are there any viable powerpacks on the horizon that could make something like this viable in the future? Would it be possible to silence an internal combustion one enough?

Fuel cells should work.

CaptHawkeye · Post by **CaptHawkeye** » 2008-03-18 02:09pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Excellent. And soon we can have Gekkous patrolling Iraq and A-stan.

That's exactly what I was thinking. "Metal....Gear?"

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2008-03-18 02:09pm

Plekhanov wrote:Are there any viable powerpacks on the horizon that could make something like this viable in the future? Would it be possible to silence an internal combustion one enough?

Internal combustion is actually fairly efficient for driving hydralics. Fuel cells plus a motor driven pump would likely be heavier, much more expensive and only marginally more efficient. However if the hydralics were replaced with linear electromagnetic actuators, fuel cells would give substantially more range (especially if you added capacitors and used regenerative braking). That would cost even more to build, but at least maintenance costs would be lower.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2008-03-18 02:20pm

1. That engine was very @#$@$ annoying
2. That movement was highly impressive, the ice-recovery was disturbing on how lifelike it looked. Reminded me of a time I saw a herd of deer crossing a frozen lake in Maine, the buck of the herd slipped very like that about midway across and spent the rest of the crossing skidding around.
3. This has been posted before, but each thread features a new version of this thing

4. They really should put a hardshell on it and mount some 22's on it for that special ATAT feel.

*Edit, with a 340 pound weightlimit you could fit in a under slung .50cal and a decent amount of rounds. Oh the possibilities.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2008-03-18 03:11pm

Does that thing have any optical sensors, or is it navigating entirely by touch?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-03-18 03:20pm

I would think the new generation of micro-turbines would be better. Far more efficient than an ICE, not as heavy or bulky as fuel-cells and pretty quiet from what I've seen so far. They intend to use them for exoskeleton designs anyway.

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2008-03-18 03:31pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:I would think the new generation of micro-turbines would be better.

Unlikely. The load placed on the engine varies widely depending on how much the robot is carrying, what terrain it's traversing and how fast it's going. Turbines have very good power-to-weight ratio but are generally only fuel efficient at a narrow range of power outputs, and in this application fuel efficiency matters a lot.

Far more efficient than an ICE, not as heavy or bulky as fuel-cells

True for the current hydralic system, but for future electromagnetic versions a turbogenerator isn't likely to be any lighter than fuel cells of the same power output and it requires much more maintenance.

and pretty quiet from what I've seen so far. They intend to use them for exoskeleton designs anyway.

That surprises me. All the small turbines I've seen have been extremely noisy without large and heavy silencing gear. They may also have thermal signature issues.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-03-18 03:36pm

Starglider wrote:
Unlikely. The load placed on the engine varies widely depending on how much the robot is carrying, what terrain it's traversing and how fast it's going. Turbines have very good power-to-weight ratio but are generally only fuel efficient at a narrow range of power outputs, and in this application fuel efficiency matters a lot.

I was thinking in terms of an electric system connected to the turbine, like that used in the Abrams and similar machines. The added weight and complexity could be off-set by better fuel efficiency and power output. Though I expect fuel-cells, be they hydrogen, methanol or ammonia, to improve and produce competition.

That surprises me. All the small turbines I've seen have been extremely noisy without large and heavy silencing gear. They may also have thermal signature issues.

I believe they're trying to get such sound-proofing compact anyway, due to other applications potentially being able to benefit from the drives. Course, if they can't get the noise down for the bigger models or get the frequency to a less audible part of the spectrum, they can go the fuel-cell or combined electric drive route. I'm sure the final BigDog will be bigger and more capable for it.

But the ICE has to go. It literally screams "RPG me!".

The Vortex Empire · Post by **The Vortex Empire** » 2008-03-18 03:36pm

Wow. Watching that thing recover on ice surprised me with how lifelike it looked.

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-03-18 06:05pm

The noise is purposely annoying. Don't you see, the enemy will be driven into madness after about 30 seconds of hearing this Automated Quadruped Sonic Weapon, fleeing in abject terror.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-03-18 06:10pm

If it wanted to achieve that, it could simply play N*Sync.

Invictus ChiKen · Post by **Invictus ChiKen** » 2008-03-18 06:32pm

I think I laughed more than I was freaked out. Judging from the sound when it goes into slow motion, we are SUPPOSE to be scared (at least that's my theory with the be afraid music playing).

I can't wait to see what the do next.

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2008-03-18 06:41pm

I saw that a while ago. The noise of it's engine terrified me, because it and the leg-setup reminded me very much of..

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2008-03-18 08:30pm

Invictus ChiKen wrote:I think I laughed more than I was freaked out. Judging from the sound when it goes into slow motion, we are SUPPOSE to be scared (at least that's my theory with the be afraid music playing).

I can't wait to see what the do next.

Given there was no music, your theory falls down. It was, unsurprisingly, the unit's motor in, wait for it, slow motion.

Nephtys wrote:I saw that a while ago. The noise of it's engine terrified me, because it and the leg-setup reminded me very much of..

STRIIIIIIIDEEEEEEER!

Hey, everyone, let's follow Freeman!

Invictus ChiKen · Post by **Invictus ChiKen** » 2008-03-18 09:03pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Given there was no music, your theory falls down. It was, unsurprisingly, the unit's motor in, wait for it, slow motion.

Well bow I'll be.

Sounds just like the music in some horror movies... Well guess I know how they make the sound now

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2008-03-18 10:14pm

Nephtys wrote:I saw that a while ago. The noise of it's engine terrified me, because it and the leg-setup reminded me very much of..

More like

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2008-03-18 10:19pm

DPDarkPrimus wrote:
Nephtys wrote:I saw that a while ago. The noise of it's engine terrified me, because it and the leg-setup reminded me very much of..

More like

FUCK those things scared the crap out of me. They'd be so cute if they weren't trying to murder you, too.

I took some vindictive glee in revenge-splattering 'em with the car later on.