Creepy like Rodney, but intelligent

Written By: - Date published: 6:56 pm, June 12th, 2010 - 14 comments
Categories: science - Tags: ,

If you have any interest in robotics or AI, or just want to be creeped-out by just how life-like the latest robots really are, you have to see this footage to believe it. It’s the spawn of DARPA’s Learning Locomotion Project and employs some very clever heuristics to allow the robot to learn how to move in irregular terrain. Like DARPA’s more famous creation, teh intarweb, it’s been created for intended military use – but before too long, who knows?

I have never seen a machine move like this before. Awesome stuff.

14 comments on “Creepy like Rodney, but intelligent ”

  1. Julian Ang 1

    how cool is this?

  2. hellonearthis 2

    You should check out the big dog on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=big+dog+robot&aq=1

    • big dog is creepy too, but not nearly as nimble on its toes yet.
      imagine what it’ll be like having them running after you…

  3. Carol 3

    It’s just creepy because it has a bug like appearance. But I think it’s actually quite cute, in an ET kind of way. And kind of like a baby learning to walk.

  4. Andy 4

    Interesting video. Shame you had to spoil it with a completely irrelevant ad hominem dig at Rodney Hide.

  5. Carol 5

    Is this the most advanced learning machine developed so far? Or is it’s uniqueness all in its ability to learn to move over difficult terrain?

  6. ianmac 6

    The whole robotic project, as in science fiction has not been able to conquer the irregular ground for even households to be negotiated – until now. Phenomenal. Watch out for the march of the Darleks!

  7. felix 7

    Comment from youtube: “Awww dude, how cute!  It’s like a baby terminator!”

  8. Jum 8

    I saw its predecessor on Thunderbirds.

    It looks like a vacuum cleaner on legs

    From the front it looks like a locust. Be very afraid!

  9. jimmy 9

    Those things are going to be great for exploring the moon, mars, etc. Just whack on a solar pannel and the gear from the google streetview cars and fire them in all directions.

    Intellegent life probably has WiFi so google streetview would be well suited to the task.

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