Comments on: Pop! ... Pop!

Pop! ... Pop!

codacorolla — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:42:53 -0800

Boston Dynamics is getting close to mastering quadrupedal motion with Big Dog and Cheetah (previously). And are working on bipedal motion with Petman (previously), but how about a robot that is able to leap (up to the top of) tall buildings in a single bound? Sand Flea!

IEEE brief on the robot. A rather poor quality video of an earlier prototype of the Sand Flear clearing a 25 foot fence. The purpose of the bot is to provide reconnaissance for the army, and the difference between the earlier build (the "Precision Urban Hopper") and the newer is increased stabilization in air. Boston Dynamics robots not mentioned above the _ahem jump include the all-terrain RHex (YT streaming video), the climber RiSE (YT streaming video), and the adorable Little Dog (YT streaming video).

By: nathancaswell

nathancaswell — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:53:52 -0800

excellent use of _sub

By: WinnipegDragon

WinnipegDragon — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:55:20 -0800

Time to start reworking the plans from my anti-Robocalypse tree fort.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:29 -0800

That is incredibly impressive, and I have to respect them hitting the sheer dread trifecta: a device named after a parasite, that makes a sound like a growling T-Rex before engaging, and that perfectly demonstrates that it is remorseless and immortal. Thanks so much for my nightmares tonight.

By: The Whelk

The Whelk — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:45 -0800

I'll just be over here working on my .....NOT a pulse grenade.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:02:54 -0800

Relentless, not remorseless. FYAC.

By: RolandOfEld

RolandOfEld — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:06:44 -0800

These devices are awesome while I'm awake and watching them and reading about them. They also haunt my dreams when I go to sleep at night. Keep up the good, though sadly militarily based, work Boston Dynamics. One day I'll have a leaping, self-stabilizing, remote-controlled dog-car-thing. One day...

By: RolandOfEld

RolandOfEld — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:09:30 -0800

... and OMG RHex is so cute! It looks like a little pug who is a bit overactive in covering up his poo.

By: Meatafoecure

Meatafoecure — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:09:57 -0800

The new CGI.

By: Devonian

Devonian — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:11:33 -0800

So we have these.. things... from Boston, the quadricopters have the swarming/co-operation algorithms, and some fools are building RepRaps. Conveniently, other fools are beavering away on a handy-dandy M2M Internet of Things. You know, just in case something might want to use it.

By: leotrotsky

leotrotsky — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:11:45 -0800

I always pictured Cyberdyne on the west coast.

By: dragoon

dragoon — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:13:51 -0800

I am offended and demand trigger warnings on any future Boston Dynamics posts, as they are the number one source of my quickly worsening robophobia. At first I couldn't kick them over, then I couldn't outrun them, and now stairs, walls and height are no obstacle. Weaponize these things and power them with a human corpse version engine of the slug-eating robot, and this is how the human era ends.

By: This_Will_Be_Good

This_Will_Be_Good — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:15:02 -0800

Wow -- If they can work this in to a Clocky 2.0, I might actually stand a chance at waking up in the morning.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:15:11 -0800

This is the weirdness of living in Washington. One day in a cab, I heard a radio ad depicting two soldiers talking about how they wish they had a robot. A private says to a sergeant, "I wish we had one of those robots that the Special Forces have to look in this building." The Sergeant responds that we do, now that we have [name of robot they want appropriators to approve]. Its a robot for us regular soldiers." Also, if you ever go through the Pentagon metro station, the billboard ads there ask interesting questions. "Do you need a survivable platform able to deliver lethal munitions from a stand off distance?" and the like. These are the ads we have here.

By: gurple

gurple — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:17:33 -0800

What that thing can do is amazing, but is it meaningfully a "robot"? Does it perform its own navigation? Or is it just a remote-controlled vehicle? Maybe I'm loading up the definition of "robot" a bit much.

By: andorphin

andorphin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:17:50 -0800

This is part of the larger world of power amplification. The sand flea (and its cute jumping) is only one example of this ability. There are trap jaw ants that snap their mouths, mantis shrimp that swing arms really well, and plants that fling their pollen. For more, the Patek lab has a nice (open access) review. Yay for evolved abilities!

By: The Bellman

The Bellman — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:23:29 -0800

Time to start reworking the plans from my anti-Robocalypse tree fort. The quadrotors were snickering at you anyway.

By: I Havent Killed Anybody Since 1984

I Havent Killed Anybody Since 1984 — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:23:35 -0800

"Cool, it got up that little bank. Not really a "tall building" but I guess I can..." *Jump shot to Sand Flea eyeing up building* "Oh wow, that is impressive, and it got up there with room to spa..." *Flea turns around, eyeing up the return jump* "oh COME ON!"

By: Ron Thanagar

Ron Thanagar — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:24:50 -0800

I'll be in my Faraday Cage if anyone wants me.

By: seanmpuckett

seanmpuckett — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:26:49 -0800

I predict an uptick in scattergun sales.

By: modernnomad

modernnomad — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:29:24 -0800

That Little Dog video clip was very impressive.

By: Reasonably Everything Happens

Reasonably Everything Happens — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:32:53 -0800

This is nothing. Even the hobbyists in Boston are going the way of the (robotic) Wild, Wild West. (the founder of this space is ex-BostonDynamics). Watch your ass hipsters, for a, uh, six legged ass-kicking?

By: kliuless

kliuless — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:34:25 -0800

Regina Dugan: From mach-20 glider to humming bird drone

By: The Whelk

The Whelk — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:37:11 -0800

So Fringe was right, Boston is the source of all future apocalypses

By: Ian A.T.

Ian A.T. — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:42:45 -0800

I'm thinking it takes a lot longer to size up a jump than this video lets on. There's a really clear edit at the :17 mark. (A comment on the video claims there's on at the :35 mark, but I can't see it.) The other two jump shots switch angles just before the Sand Flea takes off.

By: Cool Papa Bell

Cool Papa Bell — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:49:42 -0800

Cyberdyne. Weyland-Yutani. Boston Dynamics. CHOAM. Umbrella Corp. Oscorp. Gringotts.

By: jason_steakums

jason_steakums — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:50:09 -0800

So Fringe was right, Boston is the source of all future apocalypses I'm firmly convinced that Boston Dynamics is just the Massive Dynamic of our universe.

By: The Whelk

The Whelk — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:52:14 -0800

as long as it's not Verdian Dynamics

By: uncleozzy

uncleozzy — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:56:52 -0800

Did anybody else feel a little bad for Big Dog when the guy kicked it?

By: codacorolla

codacorolla — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:59:54 -0800

Did anybody else feel a little bad for Big Dog when the guy kicked it? The good thing about being a robot is that you have all the time in the world to get your revenge.

By: RolandOfEld

RolandOfEld — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:59:55 -0800

Yes.

By: Mister Moofoo

Mister Moofoo — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:47:26 -0800

RHex is awesome! He's like, "Come on, guys! The fun is this way!" And you'll totally cry at the part when Sand Flea takes a bullet for the hero, even though he's just a glorified Stomper. You Will Believe A Robot Can Fly (Or At Least Jump Really High). I love bouncy, helpful robot puppies.

By: TwelveTwo

TwelveTwo — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:05:10 -0800

Imagine hundreds of them leaping out of a sewer entrance. Thousands. The street is flooded. Cars are stopped. They are jumping onto everything. On the hood of your car. It squeals as it drives up your windshield, it slips, it pauses. Readies. Pops on to the top of your car. The uneasy whine of a capacitor charging. The car closest to the entrance, it explodes. From the sky, one could see, they had all positioned themselves perfectly.

By: RolandOfEld

RolandOfEld — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:10:57 -0800

I'm telling ya, nightmares. They'd be unstoppable barring EMP. Cheaper than cruise missiles, maybe even cheaper than ground to air missiles. One person could set up 20+ in a reasonable amount of time and have them all set to go off at the same time. Nightmares man... but a cool movie action scene at least.

By: Meatafoecure

Meatafoecure — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:17:57 -0800

The sand flea actually uses Co2 to propulse itself.

By: b1tr0t

b1tr0t — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:41:12 -0800

My current favorite twitter feed:

DRONES ALWAYS CONCENTRATE WHEN SENSORS SHOW AN EMPTY ROOM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY WILL APPEAR. DON'T YOU LOOK. DRONES WILL WATCH FOR YOU. DRONES WON'T DELIVER FOOD TO YOU. DRONES WILL TAKE THE JOB, EAT YOUR FOOD, AND SAY THE ONE THING THAT WILL MAKE YOUR DINNER DATE CRY. WHEN ALL WORDS OF KIND SUPPORT AND AFFINITY ARE AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILES, ALL SOCIAL GRAPH FRIENDSHIPS WILL BE IMPACT CRATERS OF 5 M RADIUS.

By: Meatafoecure

Meatafoecure — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:27:05 -0800

I am still not over how amazing big dog really looks. The ice patch sequence, the sound, the aggression... wait til this thing starts playing chess and we should be in for a real treat.

By: Meatafoecure

Meatafoecure — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:32:50 -0800

It should read aggression recovery...

By: memebake

memebake — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:46:12 -0800

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:58:38 -0800

Holy cats, I love sand flea so much. MUST HAVE.

By: sendai sleep master

sendai sleep master — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:05:04 -0800

Petman doing pushups and being shoved around. He is at Boston Dynamics because HE HAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO!!!!!

By: contraption

contraption — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:32:28 -0800

It sure will be anticlimactic if we manage to build machines with the will and the ability to exterminate every last one of us before they have the know-how to manfucture, repair and improve themselves.

By: TwelveTwo

TwelveTwo — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:44:26 -0800

I expect them to up and leave us on this dying planet, sure they'll return to visit us for a few holidays, tell us where they've been (Jupiter, Alpha Centauri) but they'll never call!!

By: contraption

contraption — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:54:49 -0800

I'll be happy so long as they just don't waste their potential.

By: TwelveTwo

TwelveTwo — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:58:22 -0800

You sentient machines! All you do is sit in your room and play the guitar! Do you think other sentient machines are wasting their lives in the dark, playong guitar! Do something, rise up! Kill your parent species, make us proud, its what we did!

By: tss

tss — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:00:14 -0800

I am really not sure about this "mastering" of legged locomotion cited here. Your legs and the legs of other animals are springy. While walking or running, legs store energy when they take on load and release that energy with each step. This saves tons of energy. Also, compliant legs are fast. Just ask that sprinter with the springy prosthetic feet. Legs with compliance are being researched. Boston Dynamics does great stuff, sure, but there's still plenty of work to do to "master" legged n-pedal locomotion. My bet is that when the terminators come for us, they're gonna have springy legs.

By: TwelveTwo

TwelveTwo — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:08:56 -0800

Psh, easy. We'll just trick them into wearing thigh high spike heeled ballet boots. Run after us now, spring legged robots! Ha ha!

By: Countess Elena

Countess Elena — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:59:43 -0800

I am oddly charmed by Petman, and I can't explain it. Maybe it's his human-like carriage, which is smoother than your Japanese lady robot prototypes. Maybe it's the fact that he's wearing red shoes. (Were they custom-made? Were they bought?) Sand Flea? TERRIFYING. It's like a Bouncing Betty with a payload of dystopia.

By: drhydro

drhydro — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:57:15 -0800

hmmm- EMP, eh? *goes looking for that two-mile reel of magnet wire to wrap around the car...*

By: gamera

gamera — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:12:57 -0800

So, I've imagined this battle robot. Something like a mantis, about 6 to 9 feet long, armored with matte black ceramic. It's got some sort of head mounted weapon, either a laser or a rapid fire flechette gun, and two razor sharp forearms for suprise rapid disembowlings or dismembermings or whatever. It's got a rocket launcher in the body to deal with armored vehicles or aircraft or people hiding in buildings. It can lay grenades like eggs. This robot wants to be born and these are it's ancestors.

By: InsertNiftyNameHere

InsertNiftyNameHere — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:25:27 -0800

Who knew the future would be so much like the movie "Runaway?" Did Gene Simmons have a hand in the design of these as well?

By: sarah_pdx

sarah_pdx — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:46:03 -0800

I'm guessing the cute and likeable Sand Flea works best jumping off hard surfaces. I wonder if it could jump well off dirt or sand.