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 ...
But...but...snow out of season in a dream is a very good omen!!
Funny, but I don’t read novels any more. That’s kinda sad in a way, too.
But it reduces the workload on us writers. They take a while to write, you know.
I think I read more nonfiction than novels. In the past week, I have read “The Pursuit of Love” and “Love in a Cold Climate,” by Nancy Mitford. I chose to read these because just before that, I read a nonfiction book about Nancy and her sister, a famous batch of eccentrics and/or total loons. (Fun novels, btw, contemporaneous with Evelyn Waugh’s early satires, but not quite as well done.)
The fantasy novel in Russia is called “The Bear and the Nightingale,” although I’m more than halfway through and I don’t yet know the relevance of the title. I requested it (because the cover had a snow picture, and I was hot) when I was searching the library catalog for “The Nightingale,” a popular recent historical novel about the WW2 French Resistance. (Quite good, a page-turner.) I also found “Nightingales,” about Florence Nightingale and her batty family (excellent).
Also this week, I listened to the memoirs of Herman Wouk, the novelist (”The Caine Mutiny” and many others) and centenarian. Very enjoyable, only three CDs. I’ve requested one of his novels, “Don’t Stop the Carnival,” about his time living in the Caribbean. According to his memoir, it was made into a musical by Jimmy Buffett. I checked the library shelves to see if any of his longer novels was there on CD, but they weren’t, so if I want to listen to “The Winds of War” or something, I’ll have to request it.
Another good book, “based on a true story,” is Frederick Forsyth’s “Jackdaws,” about British women who went into France during WWII, and helped the Resistance. One of the few “novels” I’ve kept. I do an awful lot of reading but it’s mostly non-fiction, these days.
I’ve run across two of your stories, Bob, in my cleaning, shredding and filing, that I printed out. I suspect I won’t shred them. ;o]
I read a nonfiction book on that. Almost all of them were captured and many killed because of avoidable security breaches at the London end. The woman who ran the program, a Romanian Jew, was the inspiration for Miss Pierce in “Foyle’s War.”
I miss a lot of good British programs because I no longer have Netflix. There are other things to focus on, these days. Darn it.
You can get Foyle’s War on DVD at the library.
I miss a lot of programs because I go to bed as soon as I get Frank and Kathleen to bed. DP comes out of the sunroom and fixes himself a glass of wine and a snack, and I say, “Good night. Try to get the cats in!”
Speaking of cats, Janis, who sits on my left at Weight Watcher, says that she has an electronic automatic cat door for which her cat has a microchip implant. The door opens only when her cat approaches it, no other animals.
The library here doesn’t open until 1000, and I’m not going there in this heat, with the traffic I would have to fight. It’s in a strip mall, on the main street onto and off of two different freeways. The drivers are massively idiotic, once the sun comes up. I think it burns their brains.
Wow. That sounds like a spendy idea, but I’d certainly consider it if I owned my own place and had a dog. IF I had a fenced yard.
I forgot to tell you something this morning...
About a week ago, I went to Wally’s looking for a half-inch loose leaf binder to hold the story of one of my ancestors to send it to Bill the Nephew. No half-inch binders. So I went online and ordered one, paying for it online.
It came in a few days ago, and since the pick-up area doesn’t open until 0800, I had to either make two trips or one that was later than I usually like to go.
About a day or two after I picked it up, Walmart sends me an email asking if I would take a survey “concerning the pick-up experience.” So I did and said I was not happy because I had to wait so late to get it, since the pick-up area isn’t open when I shop.
Gloriosky! The Walmart Manager’s Minion called me yesterday and asked me to elaborate. I took the opportunity to put in a plug for one of my favorite Nite Stalkers, who may be the night crew manager. When he’s working, the carts are always brought into the store, no matter what, evidently, about every hour.
I don’t know if Duane will get more than an “atta boy,” but I really appreciate not having to need a map to navigate the path to the entrance.
That would be really free shipping as opposed to ‘free for $120/year’ shipping.. ;-)
I tend to only buy off Bezos’ joint if I can’t find a better deal + shipping elsewhere. That way my annual shipping costs to Bezos and company are way less than their ‘free’ shipping costs.
Elsewhere usually ends up of course being EBay.
Maybe Duane will get to be Employee of the Quarter or something.
Ezzackly.
One of my nieces in Scottsdale justifies her Amazon Prime membership with, “But I buy so much...” Yah. I can’t afford to “buy so much,” but what I do buy, I try to get the lowest workable price, including actually free shipping.
I may have one or two more that could be acceptable. Let me know what you have so that then I will know what you're missing.
I know you would enjoy "Daybreak", but I don't think I've sent it to you.
Yes, you did send me “Daybreak,” and I love it. (It’s worth reading again, too!) You also sent the one about the “Cats of Cyberspace.” Or was it “Inner Sanctum?”
Anyway, I have them both, but you hadn’t finished the one about the cats.
I also have you four books. Actually, I loaned them to my daughter, which was probably a mistake, but nevertheless, she must have enjoyed them because she hasn’t returned them. I suspect I won’t see them again. :o[
He’ll always be Employee of the Quarter in my book, because if he’s on the floor and he sees me, he will give out a yell and run to give me a hug.
The night crew are so much more relaxed with shoppers, and I see the same shoppers there all the time. Including a frail old man who goes almost every day, buying just enough for the next day or two and never loads up on anything. Security is good, too. At least two in uniform and I don’t know how many Plain Clothes.
I decided to clean the pantry. I have found many arachnid friends, whom I have swept up with my vacuum, nothing personal, but they didn’t look like the sort I want to get cozy with.
Also a zillion packages of various dried chilis, because DP buys a new package every time he makes a sauce, regardless of what we already have. Oh, well, it’s only a couple times a year.
I’m going to find a good solid wall and beat my head against it.
Don’t do that - you might hurt your wall ;-).
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