You might have seen Spot, the robot dog developed by Boston Dynamics. But did you know that the cute (well, relatively cute) bot actually had much creepy precursors named the BigDog and the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) robots.
The DARPA-funded LS3 was to function as a pack mule, able to carry 400 lb (180 kg) of equipment for a squad of marines and travel a distance of 20 miles without refueling. And thus, Boston Dynamics built it in the approximate shape and size of a horse.
The LS3 responded to voice commands, including those to autonomously follow a human controller along a path. During a training exercise, one marine company nicknamed their robot, "Cujo" and noted that the robot could reach places difficult to reach by all-terrain vehicles. When the robot fell over due to steep hills, it was able to right itself most of the time.
In 2015, the Marines discontinued the LS3 program, because the gas-powered robot was too loud for stealthy movements, and that it would be difficult to repair in the fields.
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