I’m sure all of you remember BigDog, the utterly terrifying biomimetic robot platform that dances over rough terrain on weird legs and makes a sound like it’s full of angry bees. You didn’t think they were going to give up on it, did you? No, it’s been a rousing success apparently, so much so that they decided to build one that outdoes the original in every way.

The AlphaDog, as they’re calling it, was created to be basically the practical version of BigDog, which, while compelling and scary, was too loud and couldn’t carry enough stuff. AlphaDog, on the other hand, will carry 400 pounds of gear for 20 miles in a day, without needing to be refueled.

Be sure to watch the video to the end. The now-traditional “shoving of the quadrupedal robot platform” is great, and then you get to see a new creepy behavior as it rights itself in an unreal way from a lying position.

Right now it’s powered externally and running on rails, but it’s not so hard to think of this thing in the field. With a GPS unit and some rudimentary depth-sensing cameras, it could confidently navigate most terrain or follow its “masters” along a trail. Though I doubt that feature will make it into first production AlphaDogs, scheduled for 2012.

Boston Dynamics’ webpage doesn’t have too much extra info, so keep an eye on their YouTube account for news.

If that BigDog robot from Boston Dynamics didn’t amaze and/or horrify you, maybe its human-like big brother “PETMAN” will catch your attention.

I, for one, like that the torso section of PETMAN looks like a sweet boom box and I hope that someday Boston Dynamics sees fit to let the robot loose in the business district of a small town, just walking around and taking in the scenery while pumping out some old-school rap.

And I mean really old-school, like the kind they used to use for break dancing. All the townspeople would be like, “Hey, check out that walking boom box! It has red shoes! Try to push it over! You can’t! Why is it walking towards me?! Nice boom box! Niiice boom box!”

According to the company, PETMAN will be used to test chemical protection clothing for the U.S. Army – not for scaring various townspeople:

“PETMAN is an anthropomorphic robot for testing chemical protection clothing used by the US Army. 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. PETMAN will also simulate human physiology within the protective suit by controlling temperature, humidity and sweating when necessary, all to provide realistic test conditions.”

Let’s be honest, though. There’s no reason you couldn’t test chemical protection clothing AND walk around the town square blasting some Grandmaster Flash. Oh, except for the whole “exposure to chemical warfare agents” part. You know what? Forget the boom box thing.

PETMAN – BigDog gets a Big Brother [Boston Dynamics via Geekologie]

With this latest advance in biomimetic weaponry, BigDog will truly be striking fear into the hearts of America’s enemies. When they see his burnished horns bobbing at them out of a background of terror and carnage, they’ll drop their weapons and cower. I think they’ve got a little to work on with the speed of the charge, but that’s just a technical quibble.

[via HardOCP]

Anybody else get creeped out when they pick it up and it goes limp?

[via Wired]

BigDog, the unbelievably creepy/impressive mule-bot from Boston Dynamics, made a bit of a splash earlier this week. But people seem to have forgotten its modest younger brother, the LittleDog. Unlike its sibling, this one has an identifiable head and tail, and doesn’t move in a way that will haunt your dreams for years. Kind of cute, actually.

Imagine hundreds of these things bringing donuts to soldiers on the battlefield.

Good lord. If you want to see the future of warfare and fear, this is it. This is the BigDog quadraped robot designed by Boston Dynamics for DARPA and can climb over rubble, walk through snow, and even save itself when slipping on ice. It can apparently carry over 300 pounds. When they put a gun on this bastard and set it lose behind enemy lines, watch out.

via Giz