DARPA Will Give You $2 Million to Build Hacker-Proof Defense Software

DARPA Will Give You $2 Million to Build Hacker-Proof Defense Software

Sometimes throwing money at problems works. As the Pentagon continues to struggle with cybersecurity, their sci-fi-like R&D department, DARPA, is ready to start writing checks. The agency just announced a competition to build a "fully automated cyber defense system." The grand prize? $2 million.

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Atlas Robot Breaks Ankle Upon Debut

Atlas Robot Breaks Ankle Upon DebutMost debuts would have been thought through and through so that nothing untoward happens, but sometimes, even the best preparations made cannot sniff out an impending disaster. I guess with the Atlas robot that we first mentioned about sometime in the middle of this year, its debut at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) proved to be less than stellar – especially when it broke its ankle during a demonstration.

This robot is no ballet dancer by any means, since it tips the scales at a whopping 150kg, standing tall at 1.9 meters, while costing HK$15 million in the process. That amount of money would buy you what is deemed to be the most advanced humanoid robot at this point in time, and the HKU so happens to be the first institution outside the United States to own one. A short tai chi routine went as expected, but shortly afterwards, it lost its balance and fell, breaking its right ankle in the process. Not exactly the most auspicious of beginnings, but better have it screw up during a demonstration than when it is already on the field without living up to expectations, right? Hopefully the folks at DARPA would be able to fix things in due time.

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  • Atlas Robot Breaks Ankle Upon Debut original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    DARPA Wants Cheap Mind Reading Headset Developed

    DARPA Wants Cheap Mind Reading Headset DevelopedSure, there are no mutants among us in the likes of the X-Men, so to find a telepath as powerful as Professor Xavier would be nigh impossible. However, this does not mean that technology cannot come in to assist us humans in our quest to be better than who we are at the moment. The Department of Defense might be looking into a highly affordable mind reading headset, where it will be able to feed EEG data from its wearer directly to a smartphone app.

    The EEG readings that are collected will be the basis for a range of consumer products, enabling users to control objects with their minds. For example, Thinker Thing would allow its user to imagine followed by printing creatures out in 3D directly from their imagination. While it is not exactly a military application for such technology, we could more or less imagine that it would be headed in a somewhat similar direction sometime down the road. What do you think of an affordable mind reading headset?

    I am quite sure that privacy advocates would not be too happy that there is such technology lying around, but the real advancement would come in the form of a headset that can read the minds of others around you. Now that’s real progress. [Press Release]

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  • DARPA Wants Cheap Mind Reading Headset Developed original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Boston Dynamics WildCat Robot Runs Free: Cheetah Unchained

    Boston Dynamics’ Cheetah robot impressed people all over the world when it proved that it can outrun even the fastest of our species. But some of you may have been thinking, what’s to be afraid of? It’s tied down. Unless we’re on the same treadmill Cheetah isn’t touching anybody. Well, it’s not tied down anymore.

    darpa wildcat cheetah legged robotmagnify

    Meet WildCat, the latest generation of the Cheetah. While its tethered predecessor has a recorded top speed of over 29mph, WildCat can “only” get up to 16mph. Not enough to outrun Usain Bolt, but enough to catch up to the average human, running at a full out sprint.

    Between drones and Boston Dynamics’ DARPA-funded cats and dogs, we should start looking into this Rapture thing.

    [via Boston Dynamics via Gizmodo]

    Boston Dynamics WildCat quadruped robot gallops forth at 16MPH

    If the folks at Boston Dynamics didn’t terrify your most base instincts to flee from the oncoming robot armies of your nightmares yet, they’re about to now. This week the Boston Dynamics WildCat has been introduced – a four-legged running robot made not only to walk on all types of terrain, but to run at […]

    It’s Confirmed, DARPA’s ATLAS Humanoid Can Officially Replace Humanity

    It's Confirmed, DARPA's ATLAS Humanoid Can Officially Replace Humanity

    As we creep closer to the Robotics Challenge officially getting under way, Boston Dynamics gives us another glimpse of its DARPA-funded ATLAS robot being tested in the lab. This time we get to see the unsettling peek at our future carefully tip-toeing its away across a rock-strewn simulated debris field, with surprising ease and balance.

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    The Pentagon’s Super-Fast Robot Now Runs on Its Own

    Last year, DARPA unveiled Cheetah: a robot that could run faster than Usain Bolt. Now, the same team has managed to create a version that doesn’t need a power cord, making the electronic beast free to roam wherever it chooses. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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    DARPA’s XS-1 program aims for an unmanned spaceship with aircraft-like costs

    DARPA's XS1 program aims for reusable spaceplanes that can fly daily

    The reusable spacecraft we’ve seen so far haven’t really lived up to their billing: vehicles like the Space Shuttle or SpaceShipTwo require elaborate, expensive launches. If DARPA succeeds with its just-announced XS-1 program, however, spaceflight could be an affordable, everyday occurrence. The agency plans to develop an unmanned spacecraft that requires a minimal ground crew, reaches speeds above Mach 10 and flies at least 10 times in as many days. Provided DARPA meets its goals, XS-1 would both speed up the deployment of small satellites and lower the cost per flight to an “aircraft-like” $5 million or less. Don’t count on seeing a ship in action anytime soon, though. DARPA will only receive some of the first design proposals on October 7th, and someone still has to build the winning project — it will likely be years before XS-1 slips the surly bonds of Earth.

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    Source: DARPA

    DARPA Wants a Spacejet That Makes Drones Look Like Paper Planes

    DARPA Wants a Spacejet That Makes Drones Look Like Paper Planes

    Putting satellites into orbit is no easy task, especially with the demise of the Space Shuttle program. Which is why DARPA’s going to make itself a spacejet.

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    Boeing Designed and Built This Slick VTOL Drone In Just 27 Days

    DARPA’s always working on a bunch of crazy projects, whether it’s to find the next insane robot hero, or just Star Wars robot arms. On their long list of wants is an unmanned "X-Plane" that can do vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) like the dope-ass F-35B. Boeing whipped up this slick contest entry in 27 days.

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