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[StephanieVanbryce]

Military’s Robotic Pack Mule Battles the Mud

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNZPRsrwumQ

The military’s creepily life-like robotic pack mule can now trot along at five miles per hour — and trudge through mud as it goes uphill.

Earlier footage of BigDog, the mechanical quadruped built by Boston Dynamics and funded by Darpa, showed the mecha-creature climbing over hills, stomping through snow, surviving swift kicks to the chops, and hiking alongside troops at Ft. Benning. Boston Dynamics’ latest BigDog video is mostly a compilation of those earlier accomplishments, plus some new footage from a quick run and from a muddy march at Quantico.

Boston Dynamics also showed off its headless biped, Petman, jogging at a 4.4 mile-per-hour clip. And if you find the idea of a robotic pack mule unnerving, for God’s sake, don’t check out the Petman video, after the jump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja_UsmXVPVk&feature=player_embedded

See Also:

* Video: Robo-Beast and Human Troops March Together
* Video: Army’s Robot-Man Walks Like the Real Thing
* New Video: Robotic Pack Mule Leaps Into Action
* Darpa Preps Son of Robotic Mule
* Robo-Mules to Afghanistan? Alas, No.

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/04/video-militarys-robotic-pack-mule-battles-the-mud/#more-24213#ixzz0mvRHjAty