The military wants robots that can run, and Boston Dynamic’s brilliant engineers have delivered time and again. But this time, they might have gone too far. Just look at that thing. Jokes about the robo-apocalypse aside, seeing a galloping, buzzing (oh GOD, the buzzing) bot run after you is pure nightmare fuel.
WildCat was designed to be able to tackle uneven terrain, something legs do better than wheels or tracks. But it can also haul ass. Boston Dynamics said the thing has cranked up to 16 miles an hour on flat ground, a stunning figure for a self-powered machine.
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WildCat can’t top Boston Dynamics’ Cheetah, which hit close to 30 miles an hour on a treadmill. Nor does it appear to have the utility of Big Dog, another quadruped with a gripping arm. But WildCat does have one big advantage over its four-legged predecessors: It doesn’t have to be plugged in to run.
BigDog has previously been tested in the wild, but it tops out at a paltry four miles an hour. WildCat is clearly far beyond that, and its self-contained powerplant makes it ready for the real world. It’s incredible work, as replicating a gallop with servos and hydraulics is a phenomenally challenging task. Just don’t get mad at me when you hear that buzzing in your dreams tonight.
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