Posted 10.26.2009 at 5:02 pm
15 Comments
PETMAN Bipedal Robot: Boston Dynamics
Used (at the moment) to test chemical warfare clothing for the US Army, the Petman is able to move at 3.2 mph, recreating the natural heel-toe stride that we employ in our walking motion.
In addition to walking, the Petman can crawl and perform various calisthenics, perspiring all the while from its artificial sweat glands. Boston Dynamics has few other details, except that it took 13 months to design and 17 months to build. But the video pretty much spooks--er--speaks for itself, so you're better off throwing that on repeat. [via Boston Dynamics]
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I think Lucus designed it first. His was cooler though it had guns on it and it could hold a wookie.
Haha dude I know, that's what I said.
This is obviously the first step into making the ones that Mr. Lucas designed. Now we must create the weapons that his had.
prosthetics applications, anyone?
Nice video and walking action. Shoes look like rock climbing shoes I used to wear, they have thin rubber soles for great grip.
The odd part for me is that the "femur" doesn't connect to a hip, but another leg section. Why do you guys think that is there? Do you think it improves its mobility or efficiency? Maybe it was just easier to build that way?
Thoughts?
meyaht:
My guess is that since this thing lacks a torso which would move to counterbalance the leg motion, the "upper femur" performs that duty instead, moving independently between the box of gear at the top and the "lower femur" and lower leg.
Wow, that is one pretty kewl lookin robot dude!
RT
www.hide-yer-stuff.se.tc
does anyone know what those weights are for? are they for ballence or to simulate something?
damn these look like geckos from metal gear solid 4. I did notice there is no articulation in the feet. looks like its walking in clogs. Maybe something to address in petman v.2?
Hopefully one day petman can be almost as lifelike as real man.
thanks
www.m-gam3a.com/vb
Ok we have the bottom end of TERMINATOR now we need the top half! Seems to me that MANKIND will soon be at the mercy of the HK's-hunter killers of carbon based life form. The James Cameron movie prophecy is now going to be coming through. Imagine this even sweats....
By bio-mechanics professor would love this!
from lexington, sc
the at-at had a baby
Natural heel-to-toe stride...except it's not natural. Heel-to-toe is shoe-induced, natural stride is midfoot strike and short, rapid steps. Heel-to-toe is controlled stumbling, midfoot strike with short and rapid steps ("foxwalking") ensures you keep your balance (except with shoes, which disrupts the proper use of the balancing muscles in our foot).