Fido?

SinbadEV · Post by **SinbadEV** » 04 Mar 2006, 23:56

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/mec ... n8802.html

Don't Miss the Video

http://www.bostondynamics.com/dist/BigD ... 6-2006.wmv

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 05 Mar 2006, 02:49

Interesting, but it seems pretty useless

It's not like it was transversing any terrain a hummer couldn't handle.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 05 Mar 2006, 03:13

Not like it wasnt traversing terrain an old grandma couldnt cover...

Although that kicking bit was impressive.

Chocapic · Post by **Chocapic** » 05 Mar 2006, 03:32

guys ur missing the point..
its impressive really.
robots have allways had an impassable barrier towards human like appearance and mechanichs due to not having human like balance.
this robot is really much closer to human balance!

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 05 Mar 2006, 06:01

Chocapic wrote:guys ur missing the point..
its impressive really.
robots have allways had an impassable barrier towards human like appearance and mechanichs due to not having human like balance.
this robot is really much closer to human balance!

Fair enough, but that artical is saying like "OMG THE PACKHORSE THE MILITARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR!" When really it's an overpriced walking block that moves slower then a grandma and sounds like an indy racer is coming at you at 300 MPH. I suppose if an enemy were to every kick the supply horse it would be pretty usefull... but a hummer can't exactly be shoved over either.

AF · Post by AF » 05 Mar 2006, 17:53

Omg, can you nto see? It can walk, it can traverse rough ground and it's a robot!

Now stop envisaging this pack mule as a bagage carrier and realize that sometimes a weapon and an array fo sensing equipment ontop would be lighter than some of the loads it'll eventually carry. These people are well on their way to building basic mechs based on this sort of technology, they just need to finetune it to be faster and carry heavier loads, which lookin at those pictures it seems very flimsy already with those thin legs, and they say they're upgrading it in future in the next version already.

I wouldnt be surprised if fido like robots with tank like weapons where around 20-30 years from now with CC style ucvs for support

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 06 Mar 2006, 01:59

I definately recognize it as an exciting starting point, but it really isn't as practical for current use as they are trying to make it look.

AF · Post by AF » 06 Mar 2006, 20:56

Exactly but it's the core technology, the skeletons without the flesh and they have it working in its basic form.

Sheekel · Post by **Sheekel** » 06 Mar 2006, 22:21

If that thing had a gun i would be scared shitless. It makes a really creepy noise too.

D-Gun FTW!

.funkymp · Post by **.funkymp** » 06 Mar 2006, 22:43

wow

this thing rules

Post by **jcnossen** » 06 Mar 2006, 22:55

What sony has done with AIKO and QRIO is much better afaik, too bad they stopped the development on it.

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 07 Mar 2006, 01:16

Zaphod wrote:What sony has done with AIKO and QRIO is much better afaik, too bad they stopped the development on it.

It was almost all scripted movement and the thing would fall over all the time when it got confused/lost. In many ways it worked well but compared to this thing it was much easier to push down or cause to lose balance.

Caydr · Post by **Caydr** » 07 Mar 2006, 17:42

Woot. Gotta get one of those, give it some body armor, shorten the legs a bit, add a head and neck, then invent turbolasers and I'm good to go.

AF · Post by AF » 07 Mar 2006, 21:05

Something like that could hold a hefty laser ontop, given that it would have a long reload time due to the charge time, but ti could be adapted to be a quick infantry killer rather than the problems when you ramp up the power for tanks etc.... It'd need a better power source and larger size for that anyways.

It'd be easier todo what they did with bomb disposal kits in iraq and add machine guns and sensors to them, maybe a rocket launcher, then rely on mass production, or making them much much smaller so they can be dropped from air, and hard to target...

Sheekel · Post by **Sheekel** » 08 Mar 2006, 02:57

I can see something similar to that on that old show "Battle Bots." Where the mechanics threw together robots with stakes and saws and cleavers and such and battled to the death!

I dont think it would be very useful on the battlefield (yet). Im sure internally it is very fragile and a grenade or rocket could disable it easily.

it would be funny to see it dressed in clown apparell...

AF · Post by AF » 08 Mar 2006, 16:18

I'm thinking either scaling it up and adding armour to it, or scaling it down and mass producing it as to overwhelm the enemy.

Zoombie · Post by **Zoombie** » 08 Mar 2006, 16:33

Or you could use it to walk the dog, clean the house or water the plants!

Order now and get the lawnmorwer and suicide bomber add on packs for the cheap price of only 199.99! Thats right, something worth an entire 200 is being offered for the insanly low price of 199.99! Call now and get all of our collectable items, including a plush Fido bene baby, and 24 hour a day free accses to out help chanel, hosted by Chuck Norris!

AF · Post by AF » 08 Mar 2006, 20:33

Maybe it could carry my collection of cookies.....

Spring RTS Engine

Fido?

Fido?