Insanely cool, creepy “LittleDog” robot

Robotics Science Technology


You probably remember Boston Dynamics’ BigDog, the four-legged robotic packmule, the video of which went viral last year. Here’s the latest BD creation, LittleDog. It’s astonishing, when a robot becomes this adept, ambulatory, how organic it seems, life-like. The robot: it plans. And there’s something uniquely unsettling about that.

LittleDog Robot – [via] Link

18 thoughts on “Insanely cool, creepy “LittleDog” robot

  1. PattiS says:

    It’s amazing. Creepier than the BigDog – I think because it combines behaviors we associate with different kinds of animals. It’s mostly like a mammal, but it has insectish movements, and the head motion is a lot like what predators do when they’re trying to get a bead on motionless prey. If I saw it out in the wilds, I’d definitely run away.

  2. ErikLindemann says:

    Strange in the beginning, but the second part of that video is absolutely amazing. People are constantly afraid of stuff happening like “AI” and “I Robot” but I think if we embrace it more, we can learn to love them. I can’t wait to see this technology evolve over time.

  3. aolshove says:

    That’s utterly amazing. The pivoting shoulder joints are what make it really special, to me anyway. ;)

  4. Max_Make says:

    I think this is the year for the creepily alive robot.
    It makes you wonder what next year will bring.

    This robotic starfish learning movement right before your eyes is rather unsettling.

  5. ctrl-alt-delete says:

    I have a puppy, and the movements this robot makes are eerily similar. It moves slow, but the movements it does make seem very natural, like a blind cat feeling its way across uneven terrain.

  6. DASO says:

    that’s amazing, it’s very intelligent. now we can say that robots can be the best friend for humans.

  7. SpeedDevilKings says:

    That thing is walking right through the Uncanny Valley. I like how it uses its forelegs, and the fact that it has a handle.

  8. Alex says:

    I saw one of these at USC. The part you can’t see is the six humongous red led light focused on it.

  9. Alex says:

    I saw one of these at USC. The part you can’t see is the six humongous red led lights focused on it.

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn

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