[mattjones]

This excites me. If they become common, people are going to spend a lot of time exploring the world -- an antidote to sitting behind your laptop all day.

These things would make great pack animals. When you go hiking, you'll be able to toss your gear into one of these things and have it trot along behind you. You'll be able to take more risks because robots will be able to rescue you from tight places. If you get tired or sick, you'll be able to ride them.

It's funny to think that the streets of San Francisco in 2100 might superficially look like a town in a developing country. ("Oh, those aren't mules in the street, they're robots.")

[jrsims]

I admire your optimism. It is indeed exciting technology, but I think this will have military applications long before it is available for public use.

For now, Roomba will have to do.

[kajecounterhack]

eh, I kicked my roomba... and it broke.

gotta get one of these pack mule buggers...

[LogicHoleFlaw]

Just watch out. Pack mules kick back.

[jonah]

My question is why not a real mule? More flexible refueling options, has already been through many iterations, and not nearly as expensive. Seriously.

[mechanical_fish]

The price tag is not a bug, it's a feature. What, you think DARPA would pay you millions of dollars to invent a real mule? Buck Rodgers movies didn't have mules!

I will say, though, that compared to the typical military-industrial spendthrift extravaganza, this project looks really worthwhile. Think: powered prosthetics for quadriplegics. Think: remote exploration of Martian mountains. Think: lots of generally applicable algorithms for real-time physics.

[Prrometheus]

>Think: remote exploration of Martian mountains.

Think: Donkey in spacesuit

[waleedka]

Because this is only the beginning, and soon you'll have versions that carry ten times more than a mule, travel faster, and can be controlled remotely.

[mattjones]

Interesting question. Perhaps we will witness a renewed proliferation of domesticated animals in this millennium, a sort of "domestication 2.0". Robotics may actually help inspire it, along with our knowledge of so many more kinds of animals. As robot designers study lots of different critters to improve their products, people will start thinking, "Hm, some of these animals have skills." The range of animals we've made use of so far is probably tiny compared to the range that could be useful. And our ability to breed or engineer them in desirable directions has improved a lot. So yes, maybe there will be real mules too, or some other kind animal we haven't thought of yet. (Have you ever seen guide horses? http://www.guidehorse.org )

[brent]

The bigdog is better at recovery when slipping on an ice patch. I need that.

[dejb]

Ever heard the expression - 'Stubborn as a mule'

[Hexstream]

"You'll be able to take more risks because robots will be able to rescue you from tight places."

"In other news, the number of accidents this year has boomed because of the carelessness induced by the presence of friendly robots."