Here at PopSci, we’ve been fascinated by Boston Dynamics’ Big Dog ever since it was an adorable robotic puppy that couldn’t even open its eyes. Now that the technology is all grown
up, repackaged, and rechristened the Legged Squad Support System (or
LS3), its eyes are very much open--and fixed firmly on the soldier in
front of it. The new LS3 prototype has just undergone its first outdoor exercise, demonstrating the ability to “see” its surroundings and distinguish between objects and humans.
Over the next year-and-a-half, DARPA plans to prove out LS3’s
technology and get it ready to support warfighters in the field. Its
main battlefield role will be little more than that of a robotic pack
mule, carrying hundreds of pounds of gear so that dismounted Marines and
soldiers won’t have to. These days, a lot of that weight is batteries,
and here LS3 provides a two-fer: Not only can it carry troops’ various
batteries and battery powered handheld devices, but it also serves as a
mobile power source that can recharge them on the move.
The idea here is to create an animal analog--something that can haul
lots of gear over rough terrain and interact with personnel naturally,
in a way that is intuitive to the soldiers and Marines around it. In
addition to its “eyes,” DARPA wants to give it auditory sensors that can
respond to simple voice commands like “come” or “stay.” And ongoing
tests aim to refine the vision system so it can distinguish between
humans and learn to track specific individuals.