Ran across this video from MIT robotics lab.

[bighart]

I find this fascinating.
Automation technology is evolving very rapidly and will impact our lives more and perhaps sooner than we can imagine.

[lonestarnot]

1. ewww, lookie at dat ting.

[bighart]

2. Maybe it's just me but I can see the pentagon

drooling over weaponizing something like that.

[lonestarnot]

4. Yep exactly. Also new riot police.

[MADem]

5. They have invested in it.

The idea is to use these robots as pack animals. They don't need to be fed and can carry heavier loads without rest, so long as there is a fuel/energy source.

They're regarded more as an adjunct to the military member as opposed to a "weapon" but they do have battlefield utility.

There has always been a nexus between DOD and the MIT labs--they have an office right near Hanscom.

And then there's this: https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/07/26/mit-tech-leader-tapped-for-new-military-lab/7rJ5AVs5oQ85xTPlhr4RgO/story.html

[bighart]

7. Thanks for the info, will do some more research

I have some experience with robotics and automation having run a manufacturing plant.

This kind of stuff is advancing rapidly now.

[MADem]

11. It's the Next Big Thing.

Robots will enable the elderly to stay in their own homes with their own personal electronic manservant, so they say, fairly soon!

Japan has been doing a lot of work on that end of things.

[Orrex]

3. I would totally Uber one of those to work.

[randome]

14. Who wouldn't? I have a Mustang convertible and I'd trade it in for one of these.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Meredith McIver approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[MowCowWhoHow III]

6. Next up, Robot Jockeys

[Glassunion]

8. I can see these replacing some service animals in the future

Or fetching me a beer from the fridge while I work on my mother f***ing deck for the 16th f***ing time because those sh*t-head groundhogs can't stop their f***ing idiotic attempt to dig their a**es at fifteen thousand f***ing square foot abode under my mother f***ing patio! One more f***ing time, and I will use fire on their a**es.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. you need one of these bad boys

http://www.rodenator.com/

[Glassunion]

15. Does it go up to 11?

[bighart]

16. Love it.

Spinal Tap baby!

[Taitertots]

17. XKCD thought about that...

[bighart]

19. Ain't it the truth

[Warren DeMontague]

9. Cool!

[Yavin4]

12. Betcha Sarah Connor doesn't think that this is cute. n/t

[bighart]

13. That was one of my first thougths,

sci-fi becoming reality is always fascinating.

[matt819]

18. Wow

Far cry from Lucy and Ethel on the chocolate assembly line.