DARPA or the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technologies for use by the military. DARPA has been responsible for funding the development of many technologies which have had a major effect on the world, including computer networking.
DARPA has been at work designing sophisticated military robots. Here’s the creepy-looking PETMAN, a robot developed to test the performance of protective clothing designed for hazardous environments. The Daily Bail aptly puts it: “Imagine this guy knocking at your door to conduct a police manhunt for a suspected terrorist. Say hello to the future.”
The PETMAN robot was developed by Boston Dynamics with funding from the Dept of Defense’s Chemical and Biological Defense program. It is the first anthropomorphic robot that moves dynamically like a real person. The video shows initial testing in a chemical protection suit and gas mask. PETMAN has sensors embedded in its skin that detect any chemicals leaking through the suit. The skin also maintains a micro-climate inside the clothing by sweating and regulating temperature. Partners in developing PETMAN were MRIGlobal, Measurement Technology Northwest, Smith Carter, SRD, CUH2A, and HHI.
On the other hand, this pack mule robot, LS3 (Legged Squad), is kinda cute:
Working with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL), DARPA developed the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) program — robotic “pack mules” that one day would carry gear for a squad of Marines or Army soldiers. The robots are able to get back up from a fall by itself, interpret verbal and visual commands, and autonomously follow people (i.e., independently make “Follow the Leader” decisions) through rugged terrain.
~Eowyn
