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 ...
Consider yourself added! But, as I said, earlier, it’s very low ping.
Enjoy!
Glad to hear that !
My mom is visiting and I am brewing up a batch for her to take home. It helps just a little bit, but that little bit seems to help a lot!
Remember. On the internet no one can tell that you’re blue.
Ira Einhorn leaving the scene of a recent composting...
Did you and Face get the same computer?
Even those who have been here for years know nothing about the thread... ;-)
Hey, Monkey Face!
If I’m not already on your ping list, please add me!
I consider it an honor to be associated with the Undead Thread.
:-)
pax
You’re on the Morning Kitteh list. That gives you a daily link to the Undead Thread, where you can tell us your weather and dish your Walmart shopping list and other highly personal topics.
Most of the time, to 2am usually, sometimes later. Since I became forcibly retired (by the Obama Recovering Economy) I don't have many compelling reasons to arise early in the morning just to take a 70 mile drive to the job. (Saturday night - Sunday mornings are the exception since I play around at playing keyboard at church so I can't sleep in and thus I go to bed earlier. Or should.. ;-) It's not quite how I wanted my working 'career' to end but it's how it is. It is - boring but I'm not quite ready to be a greeter at Walmart. Yet. ;-)
And after everyone is in bed and all the cats are inside it's quiet and interruption free (except for the occasional feline spat) so I can work on whatever unfinished project is on the table at the time. Or poke liberals on Facepagething. Or write stuff. Or do music (with headphones.) Or..
I had to beg off of church today due to a transportation issue - the Subaru died. I at first thought it tossed its timing belt but I took the cover off and the belt seems ok, no slack and definitely not broken. That leaves fuel pump or ignition (or even the ECM since it strangely is displaying no codes) but it has rained the past couple of days thus truncating any troubleshooting time. It leaves me though with the inconvenience of begging rides from the offspring.. ;-)
Looks like I need to put the front rotors and pads on Mrs. NoC's Audi so the second car is functional. Since she doesn't drive it much once the brakes became an issue last fall (as the climate change progressed into the winter ice age) it has been parked pending a further climate change into work-on-the-car-outdoors weather. And it seems that the battery didn't survive the cold.
And it's looking as if I need to consider shortening the height of the advanced grass substitute. It has responded verdantly to the abundance of moisture. But to do that I first must relocate what was driveway 'paving' that was deposited onto the lawn by several plow-the-solidified-glowbull-warmthing episodes back into the driveway so that the freshly sharpened blades don't become prematurely dulled. Next rain is foreguessed for Monday night..
Retired people have such busy lives!
DP just told me we’re supposed to get five inches of rain tonight.
Problem is I can be busy, but the pay is lousy...
Thank you for every ping. There is too little time for fun during retirement because being retired causes everyone to believe your free time is free to them and in most instances that is a point of truth, that is the rule with very few exceptions. I choose to live this way therefore the fault lays with me. I just wish Fault didn’t want the ‘s’ word constantly.
LOL! I have a niece who is a Smurffette in another life!
Trust me, Pax: If you weren’t on my ping list, you wouldn’t be posting to me! LOL! I just did the ping to alert the Undeaders to the fact that Mears has joined us.
:o]
‘Face
Now THAT is a regal cat.
Very pretty!!
Another late (?) night with the girl child, this time. It seems her live-in has a history of abuse, and that she sees “the good.” She doesn’t want to live alone.
I told her she can’t fix him, because he is very broken, and that she has to decide if she wants to settle for abuse or live alone in peace. I told her to think long and hard about it. And then I said, “Do as I say, not as I do. I’ve lived alone since 1989 except for the year I was in CA.”
In about 10 minutes, I’ll be going up to do laundry.
When my truck needed the ECM (and the fuel pump) I got them online at autopartswarehouse.com. Inexpensive and guaranteed, replacement or refund. And their service is fairly fast. Just, FYI...
I just decided that today calls for a Siamese, because we should all start the week feeling inferior!
Rained buckets all night, supposed to continue all day.
I would suggest living alone to the child. It works for Anoreth and Dog!
Except for the worship of cats and the discussions around when our feline overlords will take over the planet.
Never a problem. I'm married.
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