Boston Dynamics BigDog

The History of Boston Dynamics BigDog

BigDog is a robotic product currently under development by Boston Dynamics in Waltham, Massachusetts. The company is affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was founded in 1992.

BigDog is one of the few well-known robotics projects currently being developed and funded by DARPA's Office of Tactical Technology. The U.S.

Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency intends to militarize BigDog to work in classes with U.S. ground forces - the vision is for BigDog to carry additional equipment and "heavy" items for troops on the move to allow soldiers to last longer time and do more.

At the heart of BigDog is a true quadruped robotic system that uses a computer-controlled hydraulic system and actuator system. The robot executes commands through a human-managed operator control unit (OCU) and is specifically designed to interact with other soldiers at crawling, walking or running speeds (up to 4.4 mph) through rough terrain. Four articulated legs at each corner of the body manage its stride, while an integrated balance system ensures the BigDog stays upright. During testing, BigDog has consistently shown the ability to recover quickly when pushed to the side.

Additional tests also put the BigDog on the spine, just to see the system stand upright under its own power. Onboard sensors and programming allow the BigDog to navigate a variety of terrains (including trees, rocks, snow, and muddy surfaces) without precise user interaction.

The onboard system is managed by BigDog itself.

Since the machine is designed as a cargo transporter, a heavy duty rail system is installed on both sides of the robot for loading. It can drag up to 340 pounds of cargo from one point to another, and even jump over obstacles - the BigDog has a 1.1-meter jump in the lab.

The BigDog weighs 240 pounds (without cargo), is 2.5 feet tall, and has a barrel length of 3 feet.

In addition to Boston Dynamics' participation in the project, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Harvard's Concord Field Station, and Foster Miller also participated in the development of the project.

In 2013, a large dog with trainable arms weighing up to 50 pounds was introduced. Also in 2013, it was announced that Boston Dynamics had been acquired by Google.

Extensive testing of the BigDog in 2014 found some shortcomings - mostly related to the noise produced by the on-board petrol engine. There are also concerns that maintenance will be difficult. This has led the U.S. military to shelve the "robot mule" concept for the foreseeable future, as Google also continues to stay away from military-focused contracts.

The announcement was made in late December 2015.

Boston Dynamics is said to continue its work in the field, turning its robotics technology into industrial use.

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