Posted on 02/28/2017 7:23:43 AM PST by RoosterRedux
Google-owned robotics firm and “nightmare” factory Boston Dynamics has released video of its latest creation: a two-wheeled, four-legged hybrid robot named Handle.
The robot can stand on four legs, like Boston Dynamics’ previous creations such as BigDog and Spot. But at the end of its back two legs are two stabilised wheels, which let it stand up vertically and roll around at speeds of up to nine miles per hour. Think “Terminator riding on a hoverboard” and you’ll have a pretty good idea of the impression Handle gives off.
Boston Dynamics says the reason for the hybrid design is the simplicity it affords: rather than needing the complex joints of the fully-quadrupedal bots, Handle’s wheels can speed it around with little difficulty, while its front legs can be used for balance and for carrying loads of up to 50kg.
“Handle uses many of the same dynamics, balance and mobile manipulation principles found in the quadruped and biped robots we build,” Boston Dynamics said, “but with only about 10 actuated joints, it is significantly less complex. Wheels are efficient on flat surfaces while legs can go almost anywhere: by combining wheels and legs, Handle can have the best of both worlds.” The video does not, however, show Handle walking rather that scooting around on its wheels.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
As we finished the video on Numbers, I got a text from Tom saying he had a flat tire over at school, so I drove over there from church, set him up with AAA, and then came home. Now I have to go get him at the tire shop; they won’t have the tire repaired until late afternoon. Guess we’ll stop at Walmart, too.
Thunderstorms going on during all this.
All is now clear..........
I don’t know how I ever traveled as far and as often as I did without AAA. I probably only need it once or twice a year, but I absolutely swear by them.
Today I was going to go over to the complex that LuDean just moved into, but just didn’t feel like driving today. So when I went to sit with Charlie, I asked him if he would be interested in going with me to put his name on the wait list, too. He agreed. At least I know he will be close to people he knows, as well as close to a shopping center he can walk to. And close to the bus lines.
There is also a program by the Dept of Agriculture for “remote low income housing,” and I’m going to print out the info on it. They want $15 for an application fee, but that can be fixed.
All is now clear as mud...
It’s pouring here, so all is now about as clear as the bottom of a swimming pool.
I’m going to have a cup of tea and then go get Elen at school. Even if Tom could drive the van, I wouldn’t let him do it in a thunderstorm. I can’t live without my van!
Wouldn’t you know? Now I can’t find the portal for Dept of Agriculture remote housing. What I did find was that the place in St George seems to be the only game in town for that city. I really don’t want to go farther north because that means “snow.” I really don’t want any part of that, as I have a tendency to fall in the stuff.
My neck is really bothering me, and I’m close to throwing in the towel for the day. Not quite yet, though.
The weather is chilly (to me) and is trying to clabber up and get ugly, and I’m trying to stay warm. All this means is just a little longer I don’t have to turn on the A/C. And that means I don’t have to smell Patrick’s cigarette smoke.
What I’m going to do right now is go in and turn on the mattress pad. I’ll give it a chance to warm up the bed and then I’ll go crawl in bed to ease the pain in my neck. I have a “neckbone” pillow that I bought when I was working and I will hate when I have to give it up! It washes up very nicely, and retains its shape and resiliency. I’ve never seen another like it since then.
The tire was fixed quickly, so now we’re all at home again. I’m going to lie down. Later I’ll have to go to the Stewardship Committee, but before that, I can put Easter music together so that DP can practice guitar while I’m out.
I forgot to include the mud......sorry.
I have plenty of mud. Where do you want it sent?
We don’t have mud. We have a colloidal suspension in varying degrees of firmness..
According to Johnny Cash, it's supposed to be sorted with the blood and the beer.
What a majestic Morning Kitteh! Very handsome!
I’ve been up, but Zeke has garnered my attention since 0358 with his interminable queries about, “Is it ready? Or do I have time to go get breakfast?”
I had to replace the ink cartridge (I do it so seldom, I have to read the destructions every time. *sigh*) so I could print up the flyers he wants for the election. Since this is a “write in choice” ballot, we don’t need to have two people for each position. The way the “opposition” has their ballot set up, it’s more an appointment than an election.
Anyway, the idea is to take the vote away from the people who represent the Klingon, then to re-write the by-laws to reflect that there is no “Sunshine” person because of the Privacy Act (there is no access to last names, birthdays or apartment numbers,) which renders that position obsolete, and to do away with the council altogether. Yep. We don’t need it. We got along just fine without for the last year.
Anyway, I was tired going into this today, and I doubt I’ll be feeling revived any time in the near future. I need a breathing treatment.
It does amaze me here at my job how many "adults" never really became one.
Ain’t that the truth???
He went to get breakfast and I made busy until time to meet him. Now I get to make copies. Yay.
Kitteh is a prize-winning British Shorthair and knows it. Note that his blanket matches his eyes.
HR Kitteh: “And the reason you left your last position?”
He doesn’t look sympathetic.
Which is probably why he looks so striking.
Maybe today, I’ll get some actual housework done. It’s for sure, it needs it, since I haven’t done anything since before coming down with pneumonia. *sigh*
It would be so nice to wake up feeling as good as I did before I got CFIDS. Even a solid six hours’ sleep is not a refreshing sleep for me. :o|
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