Sarah Connor Warned Us...

Boston Dynamics, which specializes in robotics and human simulation, just released video of their "BigDog". What is BigDog and when will it take over the world you ask. BigDog is "the most advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth". It can climb, walk on ice, regain its balance when kicked. It will be taking over the world soon.

BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog's legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 (3.2 ft) meter long, 0.7 (2.29 ft) meters tall and 75 kg (165 lbs) weight.

BigDog has an on-board computer that controls locomotion, servos the legs and handles a wide variety of sensors. BigDog’s control system manages the dynamics of its behavior to keep it balanced, steer, navigate, and regulate energetics as conditions vary. Sensors for locomotion include joint position, joint force, ground contact, ground load, a laser gyroscope, and a stereo vision system. Other sensors focus on the internal state of BigDog, monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine temperature, rpm, battery charge and others.

So far, BigDog has trotted at 3.3 mph, climbed a 35 degree slope and carried a 120 lb load.

The video is below. And you were worried about the economy. I would be worried about this taking over the world.