The Army's next top model
By National Security Producer Jennifer Rizzo
The Terminator's "I'll be back" promise has been upheld with an advanced robot soon to be added to the military's arsenal of machines. The new human-like bot is being built for the Army to test chemical protective clothing.
Robot maker Boston Dynamics released a new video of the humanoid robot they call PETMAN. In the video, PETMAN is seen walking on a treadmill, bending and even doing push ups. At one point in the clip the robot is shoved by one of the engineers and the robot reacts by just sliding over and continuing on its way.
Meant to mimic the human form and range of movement PETMAN is able to perform various activities– walking, crawling, and calisthenics– all while exposed to various chemical warfare agents, according to Boston Dynamics.
To help provide real world results the robot, is also able to simulate human body reactions like sweating by controlling the temperature and humidity inside the protective suit.
It has cost about $10 million to develop the 180 pound, 5' 10" robot. The price to develop additional units has not been set yet.
In development since 2009, the robot has been through preliminary tests and is expected to be delivered to the military next year after a head and an articulated neck are installed.
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Agreed. These should be modeled after the most vicious land and sea predators not human beings. The human body is not the pinnacle if you are talking about pure killing ability. These should be modeled after 4-legged hunters a that attack quietly without warning.
Neat but dumb. I never understood why you would model a combat robot after humans? Humans are slow, weak, awkward, and generally unbalanced compared to just about any successful predator on the planet. Among many limitations, our basic skeleton is seriously flawed. Not just when you look at its ability to withstand high impact forces but also in ranges of motion, alignment, proportion, and dimension. Face it, without tools/weapons, we're just part of the food chain.
I'll be more nervous when they model a bot after a cat.
Make a head with a turret and some kind of electric driven chainsaw,
Dimensions/build of a leopard.
Standard chromoly claws but give it retractable fingers and thumbs for grasping, tool use, and brachiating.
High speed, low drag, all terrain and a small target profile.
Then model the heavy version after a grizzly.
Now that would chill me to the bone.
You should have wasted less time watching "Transformers: Beast Wars" and read the article. This isn't a combat robot. It's for testing chemical suits that are going to be worn by humans, and therefore needs to simulate a human.
@Nik – You are correct that this is in effect test equipment. One does wonder though, if you could have the full range of motion of a human...why not just use these machines instead of putting American meat into chemical warfare suits?
any way this can be incorporated into a master chief suit?
Now that would be worth the 10 mil.
"At one point in the clip the robot is shoved by one of the engineers and the robot reacts by just sliding over and continuing on its way."
We all know how that will end some day
Yeah. One day they won't be able to shove it at all.
in stead of it shoving them it will be KTFOING them
Military research has spinoffs that enhance our lives in ways we could never imagine.The funds for such work are tiny when compared with the non-lethal industries and jobs and products that grow out of military research. Look at that robot – it isn't just a robot – it is software and sensors and motors and articulation systems and balance technology breakthroughs that are going to have applications in all areas of human life – think surgery, rehabilitation of accident victims, care of the elderly, construction, search and rescue, education, etc. Let your imagination flow.
One technology developed years ago that was used to make tiny pellets of uranium for military use has led to machines that analyze individual cells at great speed; that medical research spinoff work has led to new drugs, advances in reproduction techniques, detection of new pathogens, advances in cancer detection and treatment etc. The military may be a feared entity because of the potential for destruction, but we all benefit from it -that is a reality we cannot escape.
being in the army and witnessing mass amounts of budget cuts, is. this necessary? 10 million could have gone to many other places besides a robot that can do push ups. the robot is impressive, but i think the money is needed more elsewhere
lets give you a million and put you in a suit test it with all sorts of chemical weapons and see if it works. It could save the govt. 9 million...
Put em' in the battle field. Bring the troops home.
Dude putting the in the battlefelid would only lead to more problems. Sure we could send more troops home the robots could get out of hand and need humans to actually help them
gound level drones
This is a peek at the future. 10,000 years ago man invented the wheel and he saw the future of mobility. Now the wheel is a common sight in our everyday lives. 10,000 years from now advance robots will be as common as the automobile. And maybe Will Smith will be the patron saint of robots.
What a TOTAL waste of of human potential.The money and talent invested here is a crime against humanity.And the government wonders why people don't want to pay taxes.This is of all things least cool.
Yeah, what a waste. I too preferred when they used soldiers of real flesh and blood to test new chemical agents. What is the world coming to?
I hear being exposed to harmful chemicals is what truly builds character. Whats that saying, no pain no gain? Apparently some still want others to experience the remorse that comes with gaining the knowledge that they probably would have done anything in their power to decline such a job, things like build robots to do the jobs for them.
its not a complete waste i mean less troops would come home not in a box knowing that they have some thing they can
actually run behind of when the bullets start flying ROFL.
very nice!
It's cool... untilyou realize it's coming for YOU!
I since god isnt going to kill us skynet is only is only a genration away.... THATS ONLY 5 YEARS AWAY!or 10,000
My bad just saying though terminator is only right around the corner.
The 600 series models had rubber skin. We spotted them easily. But these are new, they look human; Sweat, bad breath, everything (Terminator, obviously).
tooooo cooool
It has a sort of strut when it walks...hahaha
i think this is COOL!
They dont compare with the fleet of drones we have in Houston. A swat team member no longer has to assault a crime scene. They can aim weapons from thousands of feet away, Its beautiful.
First!