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Boston Dynamics Robots "Push It To the Limit" — Parallax Forums

Boston Dynamics Robots "Push It To the Limit"

ercoerco Posts: 20,257
edited 2015-03-14 17:08 in Robotics
New music video compilation. Me? I like the robot balancing on one leg getting hit by a wrecking ball at 1:55. One day they will fight back.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a14516/darpa-knows-how-to-take-it-to-the-limit/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJckchby55E

Comments

  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-13 06:00
    OK, Petman is just freaky! Give him 10 more years and I think it's time to bow down to our robot overlords.

    Except for maybe one thing.....all of the BD bipeds have large umbilical cords leading off to somewhere. I wonder if these are for electrical power?, processing power?, telemetry?, hard-wired emergency shutdown in case they revolt? The quadrupeds seem to do very well without any umbilical cords but then they do have those old Volkswagen engines (maybe Corvair) giving them a power source.
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2015-03-13 06:58
    I figure the umbilical is for power. There's plenty of space in a boxy quadruped frame to stash a power source, much less space in a biped.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-13 07:02
    So we're safe as long as we can outrun their extension cords! :D (and they don't sent their "cats" after us)
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-13 09:05
    mindrobots wrote: »
    So we're safe as long as we can outrun their extension cords! :D (and they don't sent their "cats" after us)

    Remember, you don't have to be fastest runner to outrun Petman, you just can't be the slowest.

    And don't mind the umbilical, that's just doctor's orders: see 1:25
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5yCwN7wymc&t=85
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-13 09:07
    erco wrote: »
    Remember, you don't have to be fastest runner to outrun Petman, you just can't be the slowest.
    Amazing! What works for bears works for robots too!! :D
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-13 09:36
    Rather troublingly, Petman is getting better climbing stairs than Asimo (team faceplant), so simply going upstairs is no longer a valid escape plan.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-13 10:52
    They just make Asimo do that so he looks cute and vulnerable! He has a death ray under his visor...and like most Hondas, he comes with a 10/10 warranty and excellent residual value if you are looking to lease!

    Another Boston Dynamics observation. I think it is Atlas in one clip that straddles a breach in the floor by walking along the thin remaining edges that are left. Is he to the point where he can identify the problem, evaluate options and come up with that solution to clear an obstacle or was that hard coded just to test his mobility/balance/etc. ?

    Erco, you really need to work there so you can enlighten us....plus give them the gift of FIRE!!!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2015-03-13 11:08
    I noticed all the wrecking balls hit at or below the robot's COG, and not only that, at the hip, which is the most stable joint. Of course, it's still remarkable that it can remain upright (let alone in one piece), no matter where the ball strikes. It's an impressive technology, even if Google owns it.

    It would be interesting to see if they could really put the full hydraulic power plant on one of these robots. Are there any examples of that anywhere? (I know about the quads, but what about the bipeds?)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-13 11:13
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    It would be interesting to see if they could really put the full hydraulic power plant on one of these robots. Are there any examples of that anywhere? (I know about the quads, but what about the bipeds?)

    I don't recall ever seeing an untethered biped of theirs. That's what triggered my question.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2015-03-13 11:18
    With 28 hydraulic joints, that's got to consume a lot of horsepower. Still, there are uses for biped robots with umbilicals, like in search and rescue, or mining asteroids. You know, the things we'd prefer our humanoid robots to be able to do.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-13 12:26
    mindrobots wrote: »
    Erco, you really need to work [at Boston Dynamics] so you can enlighten us....plus give them the gift of FIRE!!!

    Eleven years ago I turned down a job offer direct from Colin Angle of iRobot after I showed him my superbot. I love Beantown (have run their marathon several times) but I don't want to move there. But I have thought about approaching Google, who bought them out...

    Petman with a flamethrower... my girls could win the science fair! (Do they still have science fairs?)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-03-13 12:41
    erco wrote: »
    Petman with a flamethrower... my girls could win the science fair! (Do they still have science fairs?)

    Petman with a flamethrower? They would be in a good position to mandate a science fair! (Because of their elevated "cute quotient", nothing to do with a robotic, pyrotechnical "nanny", of course!) They'll be back.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-03-13 16:06
    A DARPA manager's inside look : http://www.idigitaltimes.com/darpa-robotics-challenge-project-manager-explains-how-robot-engineering-advances-422737
  • Mark_TMark_T Posts: 1,981
    edited 2015-03-13 18:40
    Robot parkour - cool.
    Wanna see backflips though...
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2015-03-13 20:49
    On the first hand I admire Boston Dynamics. Them guys do a fantastic work. I would like to know them guys. I even would like to work there, I guess.
    On the other hand there is the military sector use of them robots. I do get some mixed feelings about ground based autonomous drones able to carry weapons.
    On the third hand there is the private sector use of them robots. I can see a lot of value there for our society.

    I do not fear that them robots will take over the world. Not in my life time. I more fear that the people owning and controlling them robots might try. But I think they don't need to. They already own the world. So why bother.

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2015-03-14 16:38
    At 2:41 Petman was looking around for his power supply...or that wrecking ball.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2015-03-14 17:08
    What he's saying is, "Just wait until I get these stupid steel leashes off me. Then I'll show 'em who's boss!"
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