I had seen videos of ‘BigDog‘ before, but Boston Dynamics new robot is pretty crazy. Meet ‘PETMAN‘:

Here’s the original ‘BigDog’ Video:

I had seen videos of ‘BigDog‘ before, but Boston Dynamics new robot is pretty crazy. Meet ‘PETMAN‘:

Here’s the original ‘BigDog’ Video:

Erinnert ihr euch noch an BigDog, den Militärroboter auf vier Beinen, der trittfest durch allerlei unwegsames Gelände marschiert und sich selbst durch einen gezielten Stoß von der Seite nicht umwerfen lässt? Boston Dynamics, die Entwickler von BigDog,  haben jetzt ein Video von einem weiteren Prototypen ins Netz gestellt.

Der neue Roboter heißt Petman und ist ein Zweibeiner mit richtigen Füßen. Beim Gehen setzt er zuerst die Ferse auf und rollt den Fuß dann über die Zehen ab, genauso wie ein Mensch. Er ist ähnlich trittsicher wie BigDog und fällt auch nicht gleich bei jeder Berührung um, und mit immerhin 5 km/h ist er außerdem recht flott unterwegs und könnte locker mit Soldaten mitmarschieren.

Bei der Army wird Petman´s Job aber erst einmal darin bestehen, Schutzkleidung gegen chemische Waffen zu testen. Bei diesen Experimenten wird er sich im Schutzanzug laufend und kriechend herumbewegen und sogar Gymnastikübungen machen, die das Material besonders belasten. Nebenbei kann Petman auch die Temperatur und Luftfeuchtigkeit innerhalb der Schutzkleidung variieren und so einen menschlichen, schwitzenden Körper simulieren. Die Entwickler des Projekts Robocup können sich da glaube ich einiges abschauen .

Anyone remember BigDog, the four-legged military robot from Boston Dynamics that many found a bit creepy?  Meet Petman, the two-legged cousin of BigDog.

From the Technology Review link:

The company that created BigDog–a headless robotic pack mule with an impressively realistic gait–recently released a video of another robot, Petman.

This bipedal bot walks on two legs and can recover from a push, using the same balancing technology that allows BigDog to recover from a kick or keep its balance when walking on ice.

While BigDog was designed to carry payloads for soldiers in the field, Petman will be used for military chemical suit research. In the final version, which should be ready in 2011, Petman will have a range of motions. According to the company:

Unlike previous suit testers, which had to be supported mechanically and had a limited repertoire of motion, PETMAN will balance itself and move freely; walking, crawling and doing a variety of suit-stressing calisthenics during exposure to chemical warfare agents.

Photo: Boston Dynamics

The MIT spinoff robotics company, Boston Dynamics, recently released footage of their PETMAN prototype, a biped robot the balances dynamically using a human-like walking motion. The company says it is a close relative of BigDog, sharing elements of the mechanical design and control. However unlike BigDog, PETMAN will be used to test chemical protection clothing by the US Army. The biped will simulate human physiology within its suit by changing temperature, humidity, and even sweating when necessary.

After a 13 month design phase, the program has a 17 month build, installation, and validation phase. Delivery is scheduled for 2011.

Related Articles: Explosive Pogo Stick Robot Leaps Over 25-Foot Obstacles

Boston Dynamics is at it again. This time, they’ve created a creepy biped with a natural gait. It may look very similar to BigDog, because it really is almost the same system. Named PETMAN, this biped system is being designed to help test chemical protection suits. This bot can stress the suit by walking, running, and even crawling in a room filled with poison gas. Not only can PETMAN walk, run, and crawl, but it can also sweat and change its temperature.  That’s pretty cool. Like BigDog, the most impressive part is when they give it a shove and it recovers with a motion that seems almost organic.

Boston Dynamics, the company that scared us all half to death with their BigDog robot, have decided to finish the job with their Petman prototype.  Clutch your holy book/trinket/stuffed animal of choice, and watch the video for yourself:

In actuality, the reason this has been in development is pretty important.  The U.S. Army plans to use it to test protective clothing in a safe, controlled manner.  Boston Dynamics explains that it will even “simulate human physiology,” that is by controlling temperature, humidity, and freakin’ sweating.  They had me at heel-to-toe walking.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to crawl under my bed and weep softly at the mere thought of these things becoming self-aware.

If  you’re not familiar with the original BigDog . BigDog is a dynamically stable quadruped robot ceated in 2005 by Boston Dynamics. BigDog is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) in the hopes that it will be able to serve as a robotic pack mule to accompany soldiers in terrain too rough for conventional vehicles… OR  to become our new mechanical conscienceless master, with the help of it’s new human counterpart, of course.

By Gum. I discovered over 30 Bison tapes in a shoe box in the elders’ attic whilst searching for a VHS of Split Second featuring Rutger Hauer.  Bison are a band who effectively were the genesis of the third wave of Sixela (ie the 2 guitar four piece period – previous incarnations had featured Dan Colman on keys. Good man).  However they were also a massive jam powerhouse in their own right, producing hours of recorded evidence thanks to a number of tape recorders. We blew out a lot of bass speakers, and when we moved out of the house (formerly occupied by Seb, TJ, Stu, and the long fingered wizard Peter Wright), we nearly got busted for not disposing of the Heath Robinson Drum Riser properly. Bison Rocked the house.

Acho que esta entrada vai exactamente ao encontro da frasezinha que temos ali em cima por debaixo do título do Blog: “Na procura da consciencialização”.

El año pasado, Boston Dynamics nos sorprendió con el robot todoterreno RHex. Pero ahora, realmente nos tiene emocionados y muertos de susto con su creación más avanzada, el BigDog.

La gracia de este “perro grande”, es su capacidad de mantener el equilibrio en cualquier tipo de terreno al cual se le exponga soportando una carga adicional de hasta 55 Kgs (120lbs).

Sus piernas son articuladas como las de un animal, y tienen elementos y sensores que absorben el impacto, reciclando la energía de un paso al siguiente. Su tamaño asemeja a un perro promedio, midiendo un metro de largo y 70 cm. de alto, con un peso de 75 Kg (165lbs).

Su computadora a bordo tiene la capacidad de procesar y manejar las dinámicas del terreno al cual se expone, manteniendo el balance y navegación a medida que el medio ambiente va cambiando. Además posee un sistema láser de giroscopio y un sistema de visión estéreo que le permite detectar visualmente las condiciones del terreno.

Video:

Dating back to September of 2007, this certainly isn’t new news, but its new to us. This is Little dog, the miniature version of the ever so creepy Big Dog. We aren’t sure if the lack of Big dogs signature jogging in place makes this little guy seem more lifelike or less.  Little dog was designed to be a research platform into study automated navigation of natural terrain. We wouldn’t mind having one of these around the office, though we would have to add some kind of a head or face to give it some character.

[via Bot Junkie]

BigDog is a quadruped robot, funded by DARPA, designed to carry equipment over terrain too difficult for wheeled machines. In the video below the BigDog variant was created by iRobot a robotics developer located in Bedford, Massachusetts USA. On a side note, I don’t approve of the use of the name “I Robot” by a company that creates robots that could aid in the killing of others. Not that I’m opposed to creating robots for war… In the long run that may be a good thing… I disapprove of the use of the phrase because I do not believe it is in the spirit of Isaac Asimov’s work. Indeed, a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

Robotul patruped BigDog realizat de compania Boston Dynamics este cel mai avansat robot patruped realizat pana acum. Poate merge cu usurinta pe teren accidentat si isi pastreaza echilibrul chiar si atunci cand aluneca pe gheata sau este impins (vezi video).

Robotul este controlat de un computer prin intermediul mai multor servomotoare, a unui motor pe gazolina, senzori si cu ajutorul unui sistem hidraulic ce pun in miscare cele 4 picioare. Este dotat cu un giroscop laser si un sistem video stereo.

BigDog masoara 1 metru lungime, 70 cm inaltime si cantareste 75 kg. Robotul poate atinge o viteza de 1,7 m / sec, poate urca pante de 35 de grade si poate cara 150 de kg in spate.

Calculatorul avand o frecventa de actualizare si repozitionare de 500 de ori pe secunda, poate sa comande eficient picioarele din aluminiu ale robotului. Fiind dotat cu senzori ce masoara forta si pozitia, calculatorul determina locul unde trebuie sa se afle fiecare picior pentru a-si pastra echilibrul.

Boston Dynamics este o companie specializata in robotica si simulare umana. Au realizat aplicatii incepand de la roboti militari pana la prototipuri virtuale pentru a simula diverse antrenamente. Compania a luat nastere la Institutul de Tehnologie din Massachusetts unde Marc Raibert si colegii sai au realizat roboti ce aveau comportament si miscari asemanatoare animalelor. In 2002 au fondat compania Boston Dynamics.

Astazi, multe organizatii si companii din intreaga lume ofera solutii si se implica in proiectele celor de la Boston Dynamics, precum Armata Statelor Unite si Sony Corporation.

Proiectul Big Dog este finantat de Defense Advanced Research Project Agency si probabil va fi utilizat in scopuri militare, de a ajunge in locuri inaccesibile pentru vehiculele obisnuite cu roti.

Alti roboti creati de Boston Dynamics, fratiori ai lui Big Dog sunt Rhex, RiSE si Little Dog. Mai multe informatii despre ei puteti citi pe site-ul lor de la finalul articolului.

Desi camerele nu sunt folosite momentan pentru navigare, se intentioneaza ca urmatorul BigDog sa le foloseasca pentru a observa terenul si pentru a evita obstacolele. Momentan, robotul este controlat prin telecomanda, dar urmatoarele versiuni, mult mai puternice, vor fi capabile sa ia actiuni inteligente si sa se ghideze fara ajutorul oamenilor. Mai puternic, mai autonom, robotul BigDog va fi disponibil pentru batalie in urmatorii opt ani.

Cu siguranta viitorul in domeniul roboticii si inteligentei artificiale va fi foarte interesant.

Sursa: descopera.org

An MIT spinoff called Boston Dynamics just released a brand new video of their quadruped robot, BigDog, tromping around Thailand.

Credit goes to advanced robotics engineer Matt Malchano ′01, MNG ′03 and Marc Raibert PhD ′77, president of Boston Dynamics, as well as the other talented roboticists on the BigDog team.

Boston Dynamics' BigDog

Zopas werd stuurde Jozef me onderstaand filmpje door, waarin je het nieuwste speeltje van het Amerikaans leger kan aanschouwen. Het is een robot, BigDog genaamd, die zal ingezet worden in Afghanistan om tot 150 kg aan wapens te vervoeren.

Op het eerste zicht een simpele opgave, zij het niet dat hij volledig zelfstandig lange afstanden zal moeten afleggen en dat over zowat alle soorten terreinen. Daarom is BigDog uitgerust met een laser, die ervoor zorgt dat de hij hoe dan ook zijn evenwicht terugvindt. Ingebouwde sensoren zorgen ervoor dat hij gevaar kan ontwijken. Verder is hij in staat om tot 8 km per uur te halen en hellingen tot 35° te beklimmen.

Je zal in het filmpje de robot over ijs zien lopen en een trap zien incasseren, om in beide gevallen vlot zijn evenwicht terug te vinden. Zijn pogingen om overeind te blijven zien er zo natuurlijk uit dat je het gevoel krijgt dat je niet naar een robot, maar naar een dier aan het kijken bent.

Of hij zijn functie in Afghanistan echt zal kunnen uitvoeren, dat betwijfel ik. Als een bende Talibanstrijders in staat zijn om een tank te vernietigen, zal deze robot wel geen probleem zijn.

Toch, enorm respect voor de ingenieurs die dit ontwikkeld hebben, de software die erin zit moet enorm complex zijn.

Zo zie je maar weer, hoe jammerlijk ook, dat de sterkste staaltjes techniek ontworpen worden om ingezet te worden tijdens oorlogen.

BigDog

US unleashes metal beast

AMERICA has called out its new weapon to send into battle in Afghanistan – a terrifying pack of robotic “BigDogs”.

“All the energy goes into the lift and eliminates the need for the tail rotor.”

#story .gallery_container p.caption{display:none !important;} #story .gallery_container p.strut{color:#000;} A BigDog robot climbs a hill in a test of its versatility. The U.S. military is deploying the robots to Afghanistan to navigate …[More..]


Its robot brain, a sophisticated computer, controls locomotion sensors that adapt rapidly to the environment. The entire control system regulates, steers and navigates ground contact. A laser gyroscope keeps BigDog on his metal paws …[More..]
Boston Dynamics