We’ve already seen how DARPA’s Legged Squad Support System (or LS3 for short) can manage itself on rugged terrain, and the robot’s latest demonstration shows off its ability to follow a person autonomously. By carrying around a touch screen device called a Tactical Robot Controller, soldiers can have the robot follow them, and if it happens to get stuck they can use the device to take direct control over its movements. “The vision for LS3 is to combine the capabilities of a pack mule with the intelligence of a trained animal,” explained DARPA program manager Lt. Col. Joe Hitt. The latest field test also revealed a robot that’s ten times quieter compared to the previous demonstration, as well as a generally faster and more agile machine — just the kind of thing you want following your every movement.
DARPA’s four-legged robotic pack mule wants to follow you around
We’ve seen it walk over rough terrain, now see DARPA’s LS3 robot follow a soldier around autonomously.
We’ve seen it walk over rough terrain, now see DARPA’s LS3 robot follow a soldier around autonomously.
is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.
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