MIT now has a jumping Cheetah robot

[Anna]

Greetings Space Opera Fans!

I like to share interesting stuff. MIT has created this four-legged 'cheetah' robot that not only can run, but now it can jump over various objects of various height and distance. It's pretty cool. Here's some videos:

http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/29/oh...



So ... how far are we from a T800 terminator robot? 3:-) Or more importantly, could these kinds of robots help us explore places like Mars? How would one of these things end up in a scary sci-fi movie?

Discuss some wild theories :-)

Be epic!
Anna Erishkigal

[Jonathan]

I think they can do more good in places hard hit by earthquakes. You can send these things in with listening devices and not worry about the ground shifting and rescuers dying.

[Betsy]

I don't know. Looks like this guy needs a running start, and I don't think earthquake debris is a very good place to run. How does it fare from a standing start? Or a walking pace?

I can see it on a battlefield, however. Especially since it's funded by DARPA.

[Jonathan]

It'll first be a weapon but then it'll go onto civilian use. DARPA funds A LOT of stuff. The creation of TCP/IP was funded by DARPA for military use. Now look at it. Changed the world.

[Steph]

Cool. A bigger version would make a fine mechanical steed. How about robot horse racing as a new sport?

[Anna]

If you click through to the website article, it actually has a movie that shows you how the robot adjusts for landing after the jump. It's pretty cool.

[Dominic]

Create ones that can jump over vaulting horses if you will. Just don't create ones that can run faster than Michael Biehn can drive.