Writing by Evan Ackerman on Monday, 1 of February , 2010 at 2:50 pm
We first got wind of this back in October, but now it’s official, with a picture… DARPA’s LS3 (Legged Squad Support System) program has just awarded Boston Dynamics $32 million over 30 months to design and build a prototype for a new, larger walking quadruped platform that will probably not be called HugeDog. Here’s what DARPA specifies in the contract:
The program goal is to develop a walking quadruped platform that will augment squads by carrying traditional and new equipment autonomously. These platforms will be capable of managing complex terrain where tactical vehicles are not able to go, lightening the load of Marines and Soldiers and increasing their combat capability. LS3 will carry 400 pounds or more of payload, and provide 24 hours of self-sustained capability over as much as 20 miles of maneuver. LS3 will weigh no more than 1,250 pounds (including its base weight, fuel and payload of 400 pounds).
Key LS3 program themes are:
-Quadruped platform development: design of a deployable walking platform with sufficient payload capacity, range, endurance, and low noise signature for dismounted squad support, while keeping weight and volume scaled to the squad level.
-Walking control: develop control techniques that allow walking, trotting, and running/ bounding and capabilities to jump obstacles, cross ditches, recover from disturbances, and other discrete mobility features.
-User Interface (to include perception technologies): the ability for the vehicle to perceive and traverse its immediate terrain environment autonomously with simple methods of Marine/Soldier control.
The key differences from the existing hardware are increased range (20 miles from 12), increased payload (400 pounds from 340), and the ability to jump and trot. Oh, and the “low noise signature,” which I guess means that DARPA wants it sounding like something besides a giant swarm of bees. Or one giant bee. If everything stays on schedule, we should be seeing some awesome and hilarious videos sometime around 2012.
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Monday, 2 of November , 2009 at 1:57 am
The video that includes Boston Dynamics’ BigDog getting kicked and slipping on ice is nothing new, and it’s still one of the best robot videos I’ve ever seen. The vid above includes that stuff, but also some footage that I don’t think we’ve seen before of BigDog descending slopes and getting its foot caught in a concrete block. It’s all very impressive, but even more importantly, it’s damn funny stuff.
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Monday, 23 of February , 2009 at 8:18 am
Boston Dynamics’ quadrupedal BigDog robot set a new legged autonomous distance record last year by traveling 12.8 miles without any human intervention. Following a series of GPS waypoints, BigDog walked a 2.5 miles per hour, autonomously avoiding obstacles and dealing with varied terrain until its fuel ran out.
This is pretty impressive, but not good enough for DARPA, who wants a legged robot with a range of 20 miles and a 400 pound payload for its new Legged Squad Support System program. Based on the progression of the BigDog system, though, I have no doubt that this will be achievable in the near future.
Just for fun, here’s a new (but unrelated) video featuring BigDog:
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Wednesday, 29 of October , 2008 at 4:23 am
I’m sure most of you remember BigDog, Boston Dynamics’ pack-hauling robotic quadruped with the ability to walk around on ice while looking really, really funny. If not, allow me to refresh your memory with one of the most entertaining robotics videos I’ve ever seen:
DARPA, impressed with the BigDog prototype, has ordered up a new robot that I’m just going to go ahead and call BiggerDog. While BigDog can carry about 340 pounds for 13 miles, BiggerDog is going to have to carry upwards of 400 pounds for 20 miles over any and all terrain. It’s also going to have to sprint at 10 mph, carry enough fuel to last all day, operate in freezing cold and blistering heat, and be able to handle puddles and swamps and torrential downpours. And it’s going to have to get a heck of a lot quieter.
And, there’s more. DARPA also wants BiggerDog to be able to autonomously follow either GPS waypoints or a human, and respond to voice and gesture control. This all sounds pretty demanding, but the hardest part (getting a robot to walk on four legs over uneven terrain while carrying stuff) has been done already. Also, my guess is that DARPA wouldn’t ask for all of these specifics unless they were well within the realm of possibility. I can’t wait to see the result, especially if there are some icy surfaces and a few hefty kicks involved.
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Tuesday, 18 of March , 2008 at 4:23 am
Boston Dynamics has quite a reputation for innovative of methods bot locomotion (like RHex), but some of their most popular (best funded?) projects are of the four legged sort. We introduced you to LittleDog here on BotJunkie last September, and loyal readers might even remember his brother, BigDog, from when we covered him on OhGizmo two years ago. BigDog has come a long way since his first few tentative steps… The DARPA funded, gear-hauling quadruped is now able to carry a staggering 340 pounds over terrain that would challenge a human carrying nothing. And he survives being kicked in the ribs with way more grace than I do. Check it out:
