DARPA's Cheetah Bolts Past the Competition

DARPA's Cheetah robot—already the fastest legged robot in history—just broke its own land speed record of 18 miles per hour (mph). In the process, Cheetah also surpassed another very fast mover: Usain Bolt. According to the International Association of Athletics Federations, Bolt set the world speed record for a human in 2009 when he reached a peak speed of 27.78 mph for a 20-meter split during the 100-meter sprint. Cheetah was recently clocked at 28.3 mph for a 20-meter split.

The Cheetah had a slight advantage over Bolt as it ran on a treadmill, the equivalent of a 28.3 mph tail wind, but most of the power Cheetah used was to swing its legs fast enough, not to propel itself forward.

For more information on Cheetah and DARPA's other robotics programs, visit: go.usa.gov...


This is nuts! I'm not sure how it would survive in a "Real world" setting, but I'm sure this is one phase of many, many to come to progress it. Basically everything has been done in technology, so now we have to tweak and perfect it as seamless, and in full control, as utilizing your own limbs.

They can make a killing off of some fighting Robots. Some Real Steel type sport.

reply to post by CALGARIAN


I like it.
It's a little bit scary, and altogether cool as far as development progression in the robotics field goes.

Note that most of the energy used in the demonstration was just in getting the bot to swing it's legs fast enough.

One of the next steps in development on the larger scale of robots would involve rapid reaction concurrent with rapid identification and interpretation of very fast events.

More on topic regarding the Cheetah, can you imagine something like this chasing you?
Scary, but cool.

Wow that is amazing...and scary.

I don't know why our military isn't pouring money into robotics r&d, not that I think that would be a good thing, it just seems logical to me. Can you imagine the power our military would have with an army of super athletic predatory animal-like robots to back up our ground troops? The psychological factor alone would be a significant force multiplier, I know I would never want to go against a force like that. It'd be like fighting an army supported by super intelligent murderous tigers waiting to tear your throat out, but scarier.

I wonder how much longer until we have something like that. Like the robot in that mars movie that goes crazy and tries to kill Val Kilmer

Interesting times...

All I can think of is Cyberdyne and Terminator. I wonder if it is able to negotiate turns at that speed? I'm betting not. I'm sure it will in time. All in all this thing is both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

Coming to a store near you Robot Pittbulls!

A power source is always going to be an issue...

In the end humans will be the competition.
I bet these guy's have some type of power source laying around.
Just equip it with the new microwave gun and we will be hunted.

Hmmm do I see the beginnings of a real bionic man? It also almost reminds me of the mutts from the movie Hunger Games...What if we are just witnessing the beginnings of new human hunters?? Scary.

Can you imagine a squad of say 4 of those cheetas with sonic weapons escorting 3 of these things with chain guns?

No need for extra sets of underwear...

Big Dog creeps me out even more then the cheetah.

What happens when they use tesla's method of transfering electricity to these bot's.
How about a ray gun that has a range of a few miles.
It seems that they have been letting us in on their secret all along thru sci fi shows like terminator and startrek and now that the time draws near the final pieces are revealed.

All my life i have heard that our new technology is 15 to 30 yrs behind the gov.
That calculation would put us right on the tipping point in favor of the controllers.