Well, it looks like we can draw a big, fat, red line through “run over a pile of rocks” and “knock it off-balance with a 20-pound weight” on our list of ways to escape when a humanoid robot’s chasing after you.
DARPA-funded Boston Dynamics has just released new footage of its Atlas robot showing our two-legged, two-armed robo-friend navigating a jagged pile of rocks without stumbling, and preventing itself from falling over when hit from the side with what appears to be a 20-pound medicine ball.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD6Okylclb8]
We’re friends, right Atlas? Can I get you anything? Cold can of oil? Some wingnuts to snack on?
While it looks like Atlas still has to be hooked up to some sort of power source to perform these tricks, Boston Dynamics released video last week showing off a four-legged robot called WildCat. As you’ll see in the below video, this thing’s gas-powered and running around a parking lot, no cords attached. WildCat has apparently reached speeds of 16 MPH. Can you run that fast? Me neither. Not for long, at least.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE3fmFTtP9g]
Nice, kitty. *backing away slowly* No, no, no, I didn’t say I’m more of a dog person. I actually said “pog” – I’m more of a pog person. Remember pogs? I love cats!
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