Boston Dynamics Big Dog and other military transport robots

[sferrin]

Yes, Boston Dynamics videos give me chills.

There's a Black Mirror episode with some of these as Terminators. Sort of creepy but a shot gun with slugs would make short work of them.

 

[cluttonfred]

There's a Black Mirror episode with some of these as Terminators. Sort of creepy but a shot gun with slugs would make short work of them.

Yes, but make them stronger, armored and give them a shotgun of their own and then things start to get interesting.

 

[Triton]

Testing Robustness

Published on Feb 20, 2018

A test of SpotMini's ability to adjust to disturbances as it opens and walks through a door. A person (not shown) drives the robot up to the door, points the hand at the door handle, then gives the 'GO' command, both at the beginning of the video and again at 42 seconds. The robot proceeds autonomously from these points on, without help from a person. A camera in the hand finds the door handle, cameras on the body determine if the door is open or closed and navigate through the doorway. Software provides locomotion, balance and adjusts behavior when progress gets off track. The ability to tolerate and respond automatically to disturbances like these improves successful operation of the robot. (Note: This testing does not irritate or harm the robot.)

https://youtu.be/aFuA50H9uek

 

[Triton]

Published on Oct 11, 2018

Atlas does parkour. The control software uses the whole body including legs, arms and torso, to marshal the energy and strength for jumping over the log and leaping up the steps without breaking its pace. (Step height 40 cm.) Atlas uses computer vision to locate itself with respect to visible markers on the approach to hit the terrain accurately. For more information visit www.BostonDynamics.com.

https://youtu.be/LikxFZZO2sk

 

[Triton]

Published on Oct 11, 2018

We have begun field testing the Spot robot for commercial usage around the world. After an initial mapping run, Spot autonomously navigated two dynamic construction sites in Tokyo and used a specialized payload for surveying work progress. An additional camera in its hand lets Spot do even more detailed inspection work on site. The Spot robot will be available in the second half of 2019 for a variety of applications.

https://youtu.be/wND9goxDVrY

 

[Flyaway]

 

[edwest]

DARPA personnel have seen the Terminator movies and this is all that is. All versions will carry weapons. Even ASIMO could carry a gun. But, for now, all are too dumb to do much more than simple tasks.

 

[fredymac]

So how much $ for Spot? It will be interesting to see what services OEM's might target. I doubt they are cheap enough for personal use.

 

[fredymac]

 

[Dragon029]

So how much $ for Spot? It will be interesting to see what services OEM's might target. I doubt they are cheap enough for personal use.

Apparently just for now they're only going to be leasing them, but they're rumoured / speculated to be in the ballpark of $50,000 to $100,000 (they are advanced robots, but Boston Dynamics has been specifically doing quite a bit of work to make Spot Mini cheaper to manufacture for commercial use).

Edit: I should have watched that video you posted first; it more or less says what I posted.

 

[fredymac]

Spot used in construction industry.

 

[Grey Havoc]

 

[Tony Williams]

The loads carried by infantry are a major issue in western armies, and all sorts of ideas have been put forward to ameliorate the problem. This article examines the options with their pros and cons - including robots: https://uklandpower.com/2017/12/13/reducing-the-infantrymans-load/

 

[jsport]

 

[Flyaway]

Cops have long had dogs, and robots, to help them do their jobs. And now, they have a robot dog.
Massachusetts State Police is the first law enforcement agency in the country to use Boston Dynamics' dog-like robot, called Spot. While the use of robotic technology is not new for state police, the temporary acquisition of Spot — a customizable robot some have called“terrifying” — is raising questions from civil rights advocates about how much oversight there should be over police robotics programs.

Mass. State Police Tested Out Boston Dynamics’ Spot The Robot Dog. Civil Liberties Advocates Want To Know More

Massachusetts State Police is the first law enforcement agency in the country to use Boston Dynamics' dog-like robot, called Spot. That's raising questions from civil rights advocates about how much oversight there should be over police robotics programs.

www.wbur.org

 

[bobbymike]

Army Has Another Go at Robotic Mule Program

Army Has Another Go at Robotic Mule Program

www.nationaldefensemagazine.org

 

[Grey Havoc]

Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot is helping hospitals remotely treat coronavirus patients

Spot is being used for telemedicine right now

www.theverge.com

 

[shin_getter]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j2a1oAHDL8

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rPvKlvyw2w

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4cM5I_mTTs


It appears that robotics has reached the point of practicality, with knowledge also distributed sufficiently wide for real development. What is needed is conceptualizing applications, engineering and scaling. The immense investment in batteries and autonomy due to cars will also increase robot capability in the near future.

- So what do you think will be the first killer app/functionality for military legged robots?
- What kind of concept of operation would work best?
- What performance characteristic combination would define a useful robot? (range, terrain crossing, speed, autonomy, payload, stealth, etc)

 

[edwest]

For moving payloads only. Simple barbed wire entanglements would be too much for them.

 

[Dilandu]

- So what do you think will be the first killer app/functionality for military legged robots?
- What kind of concept of operation would work best?
- What performance characteristic combination would define a useful robot? (range, terrain crossing, speed, autonomy, payload, stealth, etc)

Logistic. Hauling heavy loads on rough terrain for infantry. Maybe some combat use too, like placing the mines and remote-controlled turrets on no-man land (where the risk for human personnel is too great).

- What performance characteristic combination would define a useful robot? (range, terrain crossing, speed, autonomy, payload, stealth, etc)

Well, in my assumption, the priority is in this order:

1) Terrain crossing
2) Payload
3) Autonomy
4) Range
5) Stealth
6) Speed

Thing is, that in role of infantry support robots, they do not need much speed or range, since they would always be linked to the infantry (which is neither fast, nor long-range). But terrain crossing is extremely important, because one thing infantry is still the best - is traversing the rough terrain. Any machine, useful for infantry, must at least be capable of doing the same.

 

[shin_getter]

Here Is What The Air Force's New Robot Dogs Are Actually Capable Of

The Air Force is officially putting robot dogs into operational use. Here's how they will be used today and how they will likely be used tomorrow.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFBxK7FDgq0

 

[Sundog]

Boston Dynamics is now owned by Hyundai.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Boston Dynamics has been passed around a bit - owned by google, then Softbank, now Hyundai. This is a Hyundai-only project, but this time the potential synergy is clearer. Hyundai's long been working on combinations of wheels and legs to cross rough terrain.

Hyundai Motor Group Unveils TIGER Uncrewed Ultimate Mobility Vehicle Concept

Experience Hyundais events and latest newsHyundai Motor Group has revealed TIGER Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot the companys second Ultimate Mo

www.hyundai.com

 

[shin_getter]

A number of spot robots have been purchased by police, this deserve some discussion.

And hopefully more interesting than predictable frontlash~

Don’t Arm Robots in Policing

A new bill would “prohibit the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from using or threatening to use robots armed with a weapon or to use robots in any manner that is substantially likely to cause death or serious physical injury.”

www.hrw.org

Looking at the police use case, what a robot needs is exactly arms.

*As in, manipulators.*

Patrolling, opening doors in higher risk situations and bomb disposal are all no brainers. What is really interesting is potential for dog-bot kung-ku to take-down and subdue folks without the problem of oppressive demographics. Robots dancing is old now, what we need is robot martial arts

*god this seem obscure and fun enough: anyone help crowdfund this idea?*

 

[Rhinocrates]

A number of spot robots have been purchased by police, this deserve some discussion.

And hopefully more interesting than predictable frontlash~

Don’t Arm Robots in Policing

A new bill would “prohibit the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from using or threatening to use robots armed with a weapon or to use robots in any manner that is substantially likely to cause death or serious physical injury.”

www.hrw.org

Looking at the police use case, what a robot needs is exactly arms.

*As in, manipulators.*

Patrolling, opening doors in higher risk situations and bomb disposal are all no brainers. What is really interesting is potential for dog-bot kung-ku to take-down and subdue folks without the problem of oppressive demographics. Robots dancing is old now, what we need is robot martial arts

*god this seem obscure and fun enough: anyone help crowdfund this idea?*

Imagine them relentlessly following their targets and serving writs and subpoenas with those arms.

 

[shin_getter]

The French army is testing Boston Dynamics’ robot dog Spot in combat scenarios

Spot was apparently being used for reconnaissance.

www.theverge.com

Recon first. Wheels do the logistics~

 

[edwest]

I am not impressed. The loud gas engine on BigDog is a dead giveaway. If I was guarding a perimeter, I would find out how many rounds it would take to bring one down or cripple it. The same with other robot dogs.

 

[skyblue]

I am not impressed. The loud gas engine on BigDog is a dead giveaway. If I was guarding a perimeter, I would find out how many rounds it would take to bring one down or cripple it. The same with other robot dogs.

Have you actually been watching what's going on the last few years? For real applications Bigdog and it's gas engine has long since been superseded by Spot, which is all electric and quiet.

 

[edwest]

I have. I also recall watching a video of a six-legged manned vehicle on trials. Anyway, the more complex a system is, the easier it is to eliminate. Damage one leg and a four-legged robot is not going far. And due to cost, I cannot see this going beyond civilian tasks. And how much armor does one of these have? It would be like taking down an animal.