Mar 3 2011
Boston Dynamics, a Massachusetts engineering firm, has signed multimillion dollar contracts with the Department of Defense for developing robotic animals that can be used in warfare.
Back in 2008, Boston Dynamics had designed the BigDog, a robot with four wheels. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has approached Boston Dynamics to manufacture an extremely responsive human-like robot and a robot that resembles the Cheetah. Developers of the robotic Cheetah stated that the robotic animal will be capable of running at a speed of 70 mph.
Bipedal Robot
Experts at Boston Dynamics declared that Atlas, the human-like bot, will feature two arms and legs but not a head. They also stated that Atlas, in addition to walking and climbing, will demonstrate amazing capabilities such as jogging upright, using its hands, and entering narrow pathways.
Another robotic animal developed by Boston Dynamics is PETMAN. The terminator-like droid has been utilized by the Army for testing chemical protective suits.
The Cheetah will be capable of performing military operations such as sprinting or walking on its four legs. In addition, the battlefield bots will be designed to turn corners, perform swift random movements, and start and stop without a hitch.
The company claimed that the robocat will run faster than humans and will prove useful in tracking enemies. Currently, the company is developing the cheetah model without a proper idea of the robots' battlefield functionalities. The first Cheetah model proposed to run at 30 mph will be released in 20 months.
The company stated that the battlefield robots would be used for emergencies, firefighting, advanced agriculture and traveling to spots that are inaccessible to even tanks, Humvees and other wheeled vehicles.
Source: http://www.bostondynamics.com/