DARPA eyes big robot for disaster response

It's a little over six feet tall, weighs 330 pounds, and looks menacing. Good thing it's on our side.

 

Meet Atlas, the 6'2" robot developed by Boston Dynamics as a testbed humanoid robot for disaster response, tech site CNET reported.

 

"It's designed to not only walk and carry things, but can travel through rough terrain outdoors and climb using its hands and feet," CNET reported.
 

Boston Dynamics said Atlas will have articulated, sensate hands that will allow it to use tools designed for human use.

 

Atlas includes "28 hydraulically actuated degrees of freedom, two hands, arms, legs, feet, and a torso," Boston Dynamics added.

 

There's more: Atlas' head has stereo cameras and a laser range finder, though its weakness is that it is tethered to an off-board, electric power supply.

 

Atlas will be part of the US DARPA Robotics Challenge, which aims to help evolve machines that can cope with disasters like nuclear power plant accidents.

 

Seven teams taking part in the challenge will get their own Atlas and program it until December, in time for trials at the Homestead Miami Speedway in Florida.

 

"They will be presented with tasks such as driving a utility vehicle, walking over uneven terrain, clearing debris, breaking through a wall, closing a valve, and connecting a fire hose," CNET said. — TJD, GMA News