Boston Dynamics has quite a treat for you this Halloween: the military contractor’s uploaded new footage of its headless robot PETMAN flexing, walking with a real human gait, and even dropping to give us a few push-ups, perhaps in celebration of the holiday. The Protection Ensemble Test Mannequin has sure come a long way in two years, gaining a pair of arms and shedding its dog legs for realistic hips, thighs and knees, while still retaining the heel-toe walk that made the bot famous. While Boston Dynamics still insists that the humanoid is designed to “simulate how a soldier stresses protective clothing under realistic conditions,” we imagine the possibilities are far greater. Who wouldn’t want to watch this headless horseman ride a BigDog into battle?
US Army’s headless robot exercises its newfound flexibility (video)
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
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