Boston Dynamics’ LS3 seems to be Star Wars inspired

Truth is stranger than fiction after all, and it seems that the latest iteration of Boston Dynamics’ LS3 (Legged Squad Support System) has taken a page out of George Lucas’ Star Wars book, where it definitely brings back memories of the AT-AT (All Terrain Armoured Transport) Walker that debuted in Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back, although there is a far closer resemblance to the AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer) Walker that appeared in Episode 2: Attack of the Clones.

The LS3 is meant to be a battlefield support robot, accompanying war fighters into battle while being sturdy enough to tote up to 180kg payloads, ensuring troops can concentrate on bringing the fight to the enemy instead of being encumbered by their equipment and supplies. Will it carry weapons, or have its own built-in defense mechanisms? We do not see any reason not to, so let us raise our cups to the possibility of a ‘digital centaur’ of the 21st century.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Sand Flea and RHex from Boston Dynamics, Boston Dynamics’ PETMAN is a BigDog on two legs,

Boston Dynamics shows a quieter, more thoroughbred AlphaDog to DARPA and the Marines (video)

Boston Dynamics shows a quieter, more thoroughbred AlphaDog to DARPA and the Marines video

When we last saw Boston Dynamics’ AlphaDog (aka LS3), it was strutting through outdoor trials with the subtlety of a nuclear missile: for all that noise, it might as well have been holding a “shoot here please” sign broadcasting American soldiers’ positions to everyone in the forest. Several months later, the company is showing both DARPA and the Marine Corps a refined version of its load-carrying robot that has clearly been through a few rounds of obedience school. While we still wouldn’t call the four-legged hauler stealthy, it’s quiet enough to avoid the role of bullet magnet and lets nearby troops chat at reasonable volumes. And yes, there’s new tricks as well. AlphaDog can speed up its travel over difficult surfaces and move at up to a 5MPH jog, all while it’s following a human squad. DARPA and the Marines recently began testing and improving the robot over a two-year period that should culminate in an Advanced Warfighting Experiment with the Marines to test viability under stress. If AlphaDog passes that bar, there’s a good chance many on-foot soldiers will have a mechanical companion — and quite a weight lifted off of their shoulders.

Continue reading Boston Dynamics shows a quieter, more thoroughbred AlphaDog to DARPA and the Marines (video)

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Boston Dynamics shows a quieter, more thoroughbred AlphaDog to DARPA and the Marines (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentagon’s New Mechanical Horse Is Smart Enough to Follow Its Masters [Video]

Boston Dynamics keeps refining its Legged Squad Support System, the robotic quadruped descendant of the good old and creepy Big Dog. The new version of the eerie mechanical horse, which will aid US Marines squads once finished, got some cool upgrades. More »