Robotics firm Boston Dynamics Inc. has shown off the latest results of its $10 million DARPA award from last August with a new video on YouTube featuring its Big Dog quadruped robot that shows organic, lifelike balance and movement.

YouTube video here.

Full article from Mass High Tech here.

Robotics firm Boston Dynamics Inc. has shown off the latest results of its $10 million DARPA award from last August with a new video on YouTube featuring its Big Dog quadruped robot that shows organic, lifelike balance and movement.

YouTube video here.

Full article from Mass High Tech here.

Thanks for the links Scarecrow.

I like you Avatar, very festive.

---

What is the performance when there hot, whats the difference, were they telling us, was it a 'genius' gimmic, fashion or 'just a good idea'...

As good as robotics develop, I think that practicality is better served by leveraging other (warm-bodied) species to befriend. I know of someone who makes benevolent and very practical use in a very respectful and mutually benificient fashion of one of the (for most) unlikeliest of species: The Rat.
He uses them to sniff out dangerous materials that we a humans left after we are done killing, maiming and terrorizing each other; landmines and unexploded military ordnance, to be specific and which they do with 99% accuracy as opposed to a maximum of 75% when using humans ans/or dogs.
Once done with that, he employs those same rats to sniff out Tuberculosis infection in the local population, thus allowing almost instantaneous results with a 95% accuracy, as opposed to the roughly 80% accuracy of the scientifically based lab-diagnosis which can take weeks and is hideously spendy.
Aside from the cost aspect (Rats work for bananas and peanuts, whereas labs cost gobs and gobs of moolah to operate), there is something very pleasant in working with these animals and yes, even rats can be very friendly and affectionate.
Besides that, they are cheaply self-reproducing, they are readily available, kid-friendly and where it comes to (clicker)training and expected length of practical application they are vastly superior over dogs, which need constant attention and care.
Dogs are susceptible to local diseases, which the local rats are not, and frankly speaking, dogs are too big and heavy for landmine clearing. Also, dogs get bored after playing the same 'game' and they lose their accuracy very quickly. This puts themselves and with that their handlers at risk.
Personally I prefer rats.