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 ...
Today’s kitteh looks like one of those plaster cats you win at a carnival, only marked prettier.
It’s morning, and I’m about ready to head for the shower. Eddie the Attorney is going to officially represent Zeke in SNRHA’s effort to evict him. If Zeke will just CALL him!
Anyway, I’m off to the shower. This is Friday and I hate Fridays.
Don’t take your eye off the kitteh, or he will pounce. I hope Zeke calls Eddie, and best wishes for your Friday. Maybe something will intervene to make it better than you expect.
Zeke is off today (only four days a week of jury duty) so he should be able to call Eddie, who loves to sleep. Haha!
The shower has been had, and I’m going to meet with Zeke at 0500, then go to Wally’s to get a birthday cod for Lingolover, whose birthday is the same as St Paddy’s.
I don’t think I’ll make it to the Western part of town today. I will plan on it for Monday or Tuesday. :shaking head: If I had felt better, I would have done it earlier this week, but I just don’t want to drive when I’m really tired.
And now, for my next trick, I’ll have a breathing treatment! Nothing up my sleeves! *a la Rocket J Squirrel*
A cod? That’s nice, I guess.
Is Zeke on jury duty forever, or a fixed length of time?
I need to email my mother and then make some posters for the Cub Scouts bake sale.
That was Bullwinkle's quote, as he ripped off his shirtsleeves, a la Larry the Cable Guy.
True.
“Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!”
It assures me that there’s nothing wrong with my memory.
Just don’t ask me about yesterday.
Yesterday was Thursday. It says so on my calendar.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.
Wow, fun party.
It was to die for...
Face it. You've raised a liberal.
My condolences.
IIRC, the guy who invented the amorphous diode necessary for those cheap solar panels that came out on all the watches does not have any kind of physics degree. When he first tried to get the physics PhD types to accept his glass diode they told him it wasn't a true diode and would eventually fail. I think it took them 20 years to figure out the theory behind what he had done. Oh, and during that 20 years his original diode never failed.
I would personally not try to handle bedbugs on my own.
They live a long time without any food after you’ve done things that should have killed them all.
My daughter managed to get rid of her infestation on her own but it took a long time.
Blood sucking things like mosquitos, bedbugs, and congresscritters are sensitive to body heat. I have a slightly higher normal temperature than the norm so people invite me to their outside events. The mosquitos all bite me and leave everyone else alone.
The congresscritters suck the blood out of everyone regardless.
You should sue for royalties.
Ah, Montag813!
Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I’m sure.
Looks like I’m all caught up. The German gent was retrieved from JFK with little ado.
This NOT the one who approves of Ms. Merkel’s refugee policies so it will be a while before I can give that report.
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