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 ...
I’ll pray for your son!
I just read a paper Tom wrote that his English teacher and classmates said was perfect. It had Comma Chaos, and he kept ending his clauses with prepositions. He was gloating, “It doesn’t have to be good: it just has to be better than anyone else could do,” including the teacher.
Tom is vastly above average, also vast, but someday he’s going to run into a categorical superior and get the literal and/or figurative snot kicked out of him.
It’s like those two guys who were walking across the Veldt when one of them noticed a cheetah looking at them in a hungry-cheetah fashion. He started putting on his running shoes.
His compatriot said, “You don’t think you’re going to outrun a cheetah just because you put on running shoes, do you?”
He replied, “I don’t have to outrun the cheetah. I have to outrun you.”
Yes, that. Tom will one day meet his “Comeuppance” and he will be a better man for it. For now, he’s still growing. Mental and emotional will probably take a long time catching up with the physical.
I’m going to WinCo. Wally’s doesn’t have whole chickens.
Have fun at WinCo. I don’t know if our Walmart sells whole chickens! I’m going to have to go to Walmart because we’re out of Kleenex.
WinCo rocks! They had the fresh herbs and everything else I needed except for the water filter. I’ll still have to go to Wally’s in the morning. Ungh. And now, I’m very tired.
I will go sit with the Peeps and then come in and go to bed. Even though the temp is supposed to be in the 80s today. :o|
I found some Greek-style yogurt at WinCo for .64 cents, compared to Wally’s $1.00, so I will make sure to buy more of it next time I go. It’s about three miles from here, but the prices are really great, and they do have lots of fresh herbs. The rice pudding is almost $1 cheaper than Wally’s.
It’s for sure I’ll go to WinCo on payday, because even though they have self-check, they also have a checker on duty 24/7. The prices are much better, especially for their meats. And the store is really HUGH! I love it!
I wanted to browse the bulk section but I was tired going in there and didn’t think I should dawdle any. And all I wanted was to come home and go to bed. *sigh*
I had a nap for a while because I didn’t think it was safe to drive. Now I’ll go to Walmart and get the Kleenex. First I’ll put a lighter shirt on: it’s grown warm outside.
I’m getting a headache waiting for my company. I hope she isn’t too much longer. I am very tired and I want to go to bed.
It’s currently 76 on my patio and I just swept out the leaves and debris that Epic Fail Latino Lawn Service left when they blew the leaves out of the flower beds around the patio. They blew it all into the patio...after I have spent months sweeping it out every time the wind blew leaves in from the trees. I WILL complain about this. They also broke off the head of another sprinkler. They are costing more than they are worth.
About the same temp here. I’m still tired, but I have to go to a meeting at 7:30 tonight. Who keeps these hours?!?
Who keeps these hours?!?
Nobody does. They flit away at the slightest hint that you'd like them to stay. No safe can hold them. And if you try to chase them you'll only get tired.
Ah, excellent point.
The family members left Shannon out all night. It’s little things like this that make me reluctant to go anywhere.
Where does the basin end and the kitteh begin?
Miserable night. I slept fairly well from 1730 to 2330 and then woke up sick. For the next two and a half hours, I was up and down. Then finally another hour and 40 minutes of sleep. I don’t want to be an adult today.
Charlie gave me $20 in quarters I had given him money for last week. He doesn’t like to do it in front of other people, so he didn’t do it Wednesday.
This morning, after my shower, I’ll go to Wally’s to get the water filter. WinCo has the ones for the Britta pitchers, but none for the Pur faucet filter. Maybe next time, because I told the manager what kind I needed.
That store has six lines of carts outside half the length of the building, which is HUGH!!! All of Walmart’s carts are in the parking lot.
Good morning. Weird sink, huh? Even without the cat.
We had a thunderstorm this morning, but now it’s clearing up. The weather-guesser says we could have a tiny snow flurry Saturday night. Not holding my breath, and anyway, we’ll be asleep Saturday night.
Our Walmart employees several cheerful men with mild intellectual disabilities to clear carts from the parking lot.
Well, we prepared to all have to work from home.
Flurries started about 7.
We’ll see if it was worth being on snow alert all night.
Good luck!
There were so many carts in the handicap parking this morning, and in the walkway between the facing handicap sections. And the rest of the parking area was rife with carts.
I told one of the gals this morning that I had to park out in the West 40 because of the carts. They multiply at night, just like hangers in a closet.
I just barely had enough to get the water filter, and a couple of other things. The other stuff I needed had to be left behind.
My brane. It’s gone walkabout.
I haven’t seen it.
Tom the Son has been offered $300 to help an English classmate produce a paper to turn in by midnight tonight. “Tutoring,” we’re calling it, since the teacher will never believe “Stoner Molly” wrote the paper if it’s full of compound-complex sentences with a mild rash of Comma Chaos, a sprinkling of mispositioned prepositions, and a radically right-wing tone.
Nobody really expects SM to pay up that much, but it’s worth the gamble for Tom, who has nothing else on the docket today other than producing a pancake supper for the byos.
I could fake “tutoring” for $300!
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