Boston Dynamic’s been keeping dog lovers happy throughout their steady development of BigDog, a robot with uncannily canine gait and maneuvers. Now, feline aficionados can finally rejoice as WildCat makes its way into the robot world.

However this is not the the first time that Boston Dynamics has taken a crack at cat-like bots — WildCat’s predecessor is the Cheetah bot which boasted a running speed of 45 km/hour. While this machine’s no slow poke, it can currently only run at about 26 km/hour but its truly biomimetic design should have it up to speed with real-world wild cats in the near future.

As part of US’ Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Maximum Mobility and Manipulation (M3) program, robots like WildCat are being developed to increase the efficacy of military operations across a great range of missions.

And even though cats and dogs don’t normally get along in the real-world, humans may choose to have their robot counterparts working together. Machines like BigDog could be charged with the task of carrying heavy loads over long periods time, while ones like the WildCat might be used when there’s a need to maneuver with speed and agility.

But let’s not forget androids! If you were fascinated by Boston Dynamic’s PETMAN, it’s high time you check out its upgraded version Atlas. It may look a little scary in the video below but researchers are confident that bots like these might be able to help humans out in life-threatening situations.

The DRC won’t be all fun and games- its primary aim will be to foster the development machines fit to lend a hand to victims of natural or man-made diasters, executing risky tasks such as evacuation operations. DARPA notes that participants of the DRC should specifically focus on creating ground robots that are able to make use of human tools commonly applied in disaster relief situations.

Two of the four competition tracks are still open for registration. Check out the official website for more information HERE if you think your team may have what it takes!

We all know that the fastest land animal is the cheetah, capable of running up to 120 km/hr in short bursts- but has it met its match in robot form? In terms of speed, the great cat faces little competition. Nevertheless, today, no legged robot is speedier than Darpas’s new Cheetah bot which can run 30 km/hr in cheetah-like fashion.

As its name suggests, the robot’s movements imitate those of fast-running animals in nature. Just as cheetahs do, the robot accelerates and increases its stride by flexing and un-flexing its back on each step. Currently, this cheetah bot’s still stuck on a treadmill in the lab, however, testing of a free-running prototype is planned for later this year.

Cheetah has been developed under Darpa’s Maximum Mobility and Manipulation (MP3) Program. Instead of being focused on a specific military mission, this program generally aims to improve the scientific framework for the design and fabrication of robot systems, through new engineering approaches.You may also want to check out the European flagship initiative:Robot Companions for Citizens which also aims to develop innovative research lines of research within robotics.

If you’re a fan of animal-inspired bots, check out a  seagull, penguin, and jellyfish from German robotics company Festo and for more information on innovative robotics research in Europe check out the FET Flagship initiative: Robot Companions for Citizens.

Militaries around the world view physical exhaustion of their soldiers as one of their main challenges, since soldiers often have to carry loads of up 50kg on their backs through rough, volatile terrain. So why not ease the load with the help of a four-legged robot?
We’ve mentioned this project in a previous post but now, in collaboration with Boston Dynamics, The Us’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agengy (DARPA) has given us a peek at the latest version of AlphaDog, also known as the Legged Squad Support System (LS3).

The LS3 did well in prior lab tests but now it’s been let out to play in the open air.  Previous models of the  robot were already able to overcome unexpected obstacles and carry a heavy load but perhaps the most impressive feature in the newest model is that the robot can now respond to certain commands, much like its live furry counterparts. It can also be “trained” to follow a particular person and it has sensors that allow it to distinguish between different objects such as trees and rocks. Being able to detect these obstacles, it can also make autonomous corrections in order to avoid them and continue on its path. This summer Alphadog’s expected to be tested on a course of over 40km while carrying a load of about 200 kg. Do you think it’s up for the challenge?

Alphadog is being developed for military purposes, but it’s not hard to envision other distinct applications for a biomimetic bot such as this one. This type of robot could be useful in a wide range of  situations that are often physically taxing for humans: search and rescue missions, space and deep sea exploration and assistance in natural disaster relief. This canine copycat is designed for land use, however other biomimetic bots are being created for both avian and aquatic applications. If you’re interested in the notion of combining nature’s age old principles with today’s cutting edge technology, you may want to check out the the European initiative, robot companions for citizens.