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DARPA “Emergency Response” Robot Runs Faster Than Usain Bolt
Machines to be used for “defense missions”
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Thursday, September 6, 2012
One of the robots under development by DARPA for the purpose of “emergency response” and humanitarian missions has beaten the human world speed record set in 2009 by athlete Usain Bolt.
“The Defense Advanced Research Project’s (DARPA) Cheetah managed to reach 28.3 mph, said the agency on Sept. 5. The speed is a little faster than the fastest human, Usain Bolt, who set the human world speed record when he reached a peak speed of 27.78 mph in 2009 during a100 meter sprint. The Cheetah robot had already attained the record as the fastest robot on earth when it clocked in 18 Mph earlier in its development,” reports Government Security News.
Cheetah’s advantage versus other robots when it comes to emergency response, humanitarian missions and “other defense missions,” is that it legs enable it to handle difficult terrain, unlike wheeled and tracked robots.
Cheetah was able to beat its previous speed record with the aid of improved control algorithms and a more powerful pump. Engineers plan to test a prototype Cheetah on real terrain next year.
Boston Dynamics Inc. is also working on a separate project for DARPA to produce humanoid robots that can act intelligently without supervision.
Last month, the Department of Defense announced that “The robotic platforms will be humanoid, consisting of two legs, a torso, two arms with hands, a sensor head and on board computing.” The robots are set to be ready by 2014, states the contract.
Like the Cheetah, the humanoid robots will be used to “conduct humanitarian, disaster relief and related operations” and will also be able to use basic and diverse tools.
Boston Dynamics has enjoyed a long working relationship with DARPA, during which time it has developed the rather frightening BigDog. This hydraulic quadruped robot can carry up to 340lb load, meaning it can be effectively weaponised, and recovers its balance even after sliding on ice and snow:
