# This robot freaks me out. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 22, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359 "2008-03-22T18:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/1 "2008-03-22T18:36:29Z")
> **[New Video of BigDog Quadruped Robot Is So Stunning It's Spooky](https://gizmodo.com/new-video-of-bigdog-quadruped-robot-is-so-stunning-its-368651)** > > Update: If you were amazed by this, don't miss the hilarious spoof. It's even better. Boston Dynamics keeps working on their BigDog quadruped robot, which will probably grow to be the future AT-AT of the Pentagon. Its evolution since the last time we... ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/2 "2008-03-22T18:40:37Z")
AAAH!!! It looks like some creature you’d find it _Star Wars_, wandering around on Tatooine. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/3 "2008-03-22T18:46:09Z")
When it was tromping through the snow, taking those tiny little steps, my only thought was, “Oh, it needs to poop.” ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/4 "2008-03-22T21:22:37Z")
It’s a Multi Use Labor Element, or MULE for short. Nothing to be afraid of, just hook it up to collect food or solar resources and profit! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/5 "2008-03-22T21:26:13Z")
More comments in a [recent thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=460116) The video of Big-Dog seems to be doing the rounds, just now, creepy or not. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/6 "2008-03-22T21:28:15Z")
[QUOTE=TommyTutone] It’s a Multi Use Labor Element, or MULE for short. Nothing to be afraid of, just hook it up to collect food or solar resources and profit! [/QUOTE] But can I use it to catch the Mountain Wumpus? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/7 "2008-03-22T21:41:11Z")
[QUOTE=Crafter\_Man] **This robot freaks me out.** > **[New Video of BigDog Quadruped Robot Is So Stunning It's Spooky](https://gizmodo.com/new-video-of-bigdog-quadruped-robot-is-so-stunning-its-368651)** > > Update: If you were amazed by this, don't miss the hilarious spoof. It's even better. Boston Dynamics keeps working on their BigDog quadruped robot, which [/QUOTE] Mom? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/8 "2008-03-22T22:09:10Z")
[QUOTE=MissMossie] But can I use it to catch the Mountain Wumpus? [/QUOTE] You mean there could there be DOD contractor collusion? We’ve already seen energy price-fixing… ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/9 "2008-03-23T00:20:59Z")
I laughed when I saw it slip on the ice. I find myself mentally projecting a face onto it with an expression of “Holy shit I almost fell.” ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/10 "2008-03-23T01:24:52Z")
It looks a lot like one of the enemies in the most recent Half-Life game. The one that usually kills me. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/11 "2008-03-23T01:35:38Z")
It definitely adds to the creepiness factor that it sounds like it could shoot bees out of its mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/12 "2008-03-23T02:08:29Z")
I, for one, welcome our new quadruped robotic overlords. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/13 "2008-03-23T17:46:46Z")
I know it’s the sound of the two-stroke powerplant, but in many of the outside tests, I couldn’t help thinking that a plaintive “Help MEEEEE!” wouldn’t be out of place there are times I thought it was nothing more than two people in a robot suit, the motion was so natural Impressive piece of technology, that, they left off the ending though, where it speaks with an Austrian accent… “Sarah Connor?” ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/14 "2008-03-23T20:59:05Z")
What can I say? I am blown away! I had no idea our advances in robotics had progressed to the point of a large device like this moving with the grace and balance of a living organism. Will something like this be our emissaries to the other planets and the local stars? I am more than impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/15 "2008-03-23T21:18:17Z")
[QUOTE=Charger] I laughed when I saw it slip on the ice. I find myself mentally projecting a face onto it with an expression of “Holy shit I almost fell.” [/QUOTE] If it were BigCat, it would need to give the impression “I meant to do that” when nearly falling. I would expect that to be more difficult, hence the dog appellation. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/16 "2008-03-23T23:47:28Z")
On second thought, this thing could easily be the beta-test form for the Walking Chrome Toaster… just remember, “The Cylons were created by Man”… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/17 "2008-03-24T00:11:03Z")
[QUOTE=Charger] I laughed when I saw it slip on the ice. I find myself mentally projecting a face onto it with an expression of “Holy shit I almost fell.” [/QUOTE] I know he’s only demonstrating the dynamic balance, but when that guy tries to kick it over, I want it to turn around a kick his ass. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-robot-freaks-me-out/442359/18 "2008-03-24T00:18:55Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I know he’s only demonstrating the dynamic balance, but when that guy tries to kick it over, I want it to turn around a kick his ass. [/QUOTE] Yes, it should have turned and burned him to a cinder with a death ray.