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 ...
Pretty weird stuff.
Now if only I could get the walls to quit trying to give group hugs.
For a moment, I thought you’d knitted a movie.
My FRiend Rrrod really liked “13 Hours.”
I had a nap with Jake. Now I’m filling out some forms for a church trip.
I just read Jake’s messages on Napchat.
He didn’t say anything about taking a nap with you.
LOL!
Teh kitteh is camouflaged.
I’m up, but would like to cancel today for lack of interest.
There will be no trip to Walgreen’s this morning, because I think when I have opened the clubhouse, I will take a nap and hopefully, I’ll feel better than I do now.
In fact, since I’m going to head for the shower in a few, I may feel better when I’m done with that. I’m not betting on that, though.
PBS is having their quarterly fund drive (with programs I will never watch) for at least the next two weeks. I emailed them once and told them I would much rather watch a marathon of “Wild Russia” or “Wild China” than something by someone I would never in a million years pay to go see. No response. Maybe because I also emailed them several years ago and told them that as long as they pushed global warming, I wasn’t going to contribute to their existence.
:Getting off soapbox: It’s safe, now. I’m headed for the shower.
(Imagine: “Preview” wouldn’t allow me to post to “arksheare.”)
Such a pretty camo kitteh!
Good morning. I didn’t see a cat in that picture, but the site said it was there.
I’d rather watch nature documentaries, too. We have a lot on Netflix. About the only thing we watch on PBS is a couple of state tourism shows - “Our State” and “North Carolina Weekend” - which are on Thursday evenings.
DP has been watching “Victoria,” but I’ve read all the books and find it lacks suspense.
I would like to continue with Netflix, but I would have to opt for streaming, this time, because they are just way too slow with the DVDs. They have contracted another company to handle that part and they are extremely slow. Usually, I could get 2-3 DVDs a week, but since the changes, it’s only one. So I still have 28 movies in my queue.
After I opened the clubhouse, I came home and had a breathing treatment. No nap for me, yet, but I will retire earlier than usual and see if that helps my fatigue. Tomorrow is laundry day, so I need to be ready for that. I will go to Walgreen’s when my laundry is done and then to Wally’s. I need more rice pudding and yogurt.
It looks as though I will need to buy another pair of shoes, soon. Both big toes are bruised from the shoes I’ve been wearing, as there isn’t enough upward room for the toes. Go figger. Hmpf.
I got new running shoes yesterday. They’re a half-size larger than my previous pair. Maybe I’m growing again. Maybe my arches are falling.
I hassled Elen until she finally got up, but Tom isn’t up yet. He had the lights on downstairs at 1:30 this morning, so I will keep being obnoxious to him until I leave for church at 12:00.
I have to have good shoes because of the neuropathy in my feet. They are prone to injury just by the nature of the problem. Although I’m getting some feeling back in the right one, the left one is a little slower. Still, it’s nice to get out of a warm bed and be able to feel the cold tile on part of my right foot and a smaller portion of my left one.
Anyway, I’m going to start looking for new shoes online. It could be my arches are falling as well!
It seems like my mother’s fell when she was in her 50s. Her feet got bigger, so she gave me her old shoes.
I did a lot of walking all my life, but once CFIDS set in, I wasn’t able to maintain my car or my apartment, so found myself walking again, to and from bus stops and beyond. I didn’t have the right footwear and didn’t realize neuropathy was settling in. Also, it made the CFIDS much worse than it should have been.
I have it in my fingers, but it’s much milder there than my feet.
On another note, Richard the Bible Provider just brought me three more. One was printed in 1898, and one about 10 years later. The last one, is a mid-60s printing.
I will need to start putting them on top of the bookcase, now...
According to the U.S. Postal Service my replacement hard drive is in Kearny, NJ.
Right now that is a nominal hour drive. Tomorrow morning it will be an hour and a half..
From there it should make its way north on I-287 and be delivered tomorrow. Of course since it is the Postal Service and they have ways of accomplishing things in an unfathomable manner, they could send it to White Plains on the wrong side of the Hudson River (and a 40 minute drive from here now - an hour and a quarter or more depending on the Tappan Zee Bridge congestion - Monday morning.) In that case it won’t get here until Tuesday. Or Wednesday. (Seems when things get to White Plains they freeze in place.)
Good luck!
Back from church. There was a glitch with the screens that show the words for the songs, but most people knew at least some of them ...
Two nephews of one our Colombian parishioners were killed in Venezuela last week.
Oh, yes...the USPS in its infinite wisdom deems direct routes of delivery obsolete. Evidenced by the many times the wrong addressee has received mail for a previous tenant. Sometimes, even years after the removal of said previous tenant.
You have my deepest sympathies.
I’m so sorry to hear of all the glitches of the recent mass, and the death of two nephews of one parishioner is very sad.
I’ve had my “lunch,” heated up the bed and will fill my water jug with ice and water and will hope the night is more restful than the last one was.
I watched “Laura” this morning and can’t recall ever seeing it before, though I’m sure I must have. Black and white movies are a lot of fun, especially the suspenseful, mysterious ones. Like “Rebecca.”
So. My day is done and I’m outta here. Tomorrow, maybe I’ll feel better. I hope.
The wind is up and strong, not to mention gusty.
Ta.
I read “Rebecca.” It was atmospheric!
There were no details about the deaths or what they were doing there.
Hope you have a good night and feel better soon!
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