Readers may remember that a few years ago, we took a look at BigDog, a prototype robotic 'mule' developed by Boston Dynamics. It was intended to carry supplies for a military patrol, taking the weight off the soldiers, freeing them to concentrate on crossing difficult terrain and/or dealing with the enemy.
Now comes news that BigDog has a bigger brother: LS3, also known as Alphadog. This one looks rather more deployable than the earlier prototype. Cnet reports:
The donkey-sized machine is designed to carry up to 400 pounds of gear and follow troops over rough terrain on missions of 20 miles and up to 24 hours.
That's more than BigDog's payload of 340 pounds and 12 miles; as a general rule, horses can comfortably carry up to 240 pounds. AlphaDog will have some degree of autonomy like animals, using computer vision to follow a leader or automatically trotting to GPS way points.(Image courtesy of Boston Dynamics)
AlphaDog is also quieter than BigDog, and obviously doesn't run on the latter's noisy Leopard go-kart engine. We should see more details about the beast over the next six months.
"We expect to have the full-up system ready for initial field testing in mid-2012," says Boston Dynamics President Marc Raibert.
I just hope he has enough Milk-Bones to keep it happy.
There's more at the link. Here's a video clip of LS3 in action.
Looks like an interesting beast. However, I'm not convinced that something so noisy (even though Alphadog is a whole lot quieter than its predecessor, Bigdog) will be suitable for use in a combat zone. I mean, if the enemy can hear you coming from a long way off, he'll have plenty of time to prepare a warm reception for you! (That's one reason why, in earlier conflicts that used live mules rather than robotic ones, the mules' vocal cords were sometimes cut by their handlers, so that they couldn't call out even if they wanted to.)
Nevertheless, Alphadog demonstrates the extent to which robotics has developed. Now, if they'll put a saddle on it and turn it loose at a rodeo one evening, we'll see how difficult it is for riders to stay aboard. (Bonus points if they can program it to buck and rear!)
Peter
Let the Marines try out the prototype. It will buck, rear, kick and probably bite as well. And maybe leak on command. And then someone will figure out how to capture the excess heat from the motor to run a still . . . :)
ReplyDeleteLittleRed1
Interesting potential there.
ReplyDelete(and a bit creepy to watch)
Most people don't realize how dead quiet it is in places like the Hindu Kush. Hunters and fishermen do because we go out of our way to find such places. One of the constants in the stories I've heard from guys deployed over there is that everyone seems stunned by how dead quiet it is once you get well beyond the fence.
ReplyDeleteA fishing writer once used the term "the cathedral hush of sunrise on the ocean" and as a guy who has spent many a sunrise on the ocean, it stuck.
A person climbing over the ridges and such will make noise, knocking small rocks loose, starting mini-rockfalls. And they'll be a hundred times quieter than that Alphadog video.
A lot of potential there. My concern with that sort of thing is reliability and redundancy. (along with the very distinctive sound signature) A mule, horse, or camel can be driven harder and farther if you need to, and are willing to kill the animal in the process, even if they are injured or out of water. Animals are easier to break than a robot, but the break isn't necessarily fatal. You see this with aircraft as well, some can fly with holes punched in them, some can't. I hope they are building the robots to function with holes punched in them.
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