I asked the same thing
I also asked why it is such a big deal if a big arm has to hold him up

 

It's supposed to eventually be used without the arm, for military uses. Unmanned ground unit that can travel 30 miles per hour

 

That's because nightbird sux

 

and bay will have it humping a rock in no time at all...

 

Oh, that's dreadful. When I read "cheetah", I thought of something feline and svelte. What I didn't expect was this ugly mass of wires and bars that appears to be running backwards. Wake me up when it has missiles attached to its legs.

 

Look out all you robotic Wildebeests!

 

Am I the only one who really thinks this is a waste of time? In what area would legs be better than wheels on a robot given our current technology? No robot we have can climb harsh terrain, and on anything else a wheeled machine is superior (better maneuverability, faster speed, smaller [or zero] turning circle).

I just don't see the point of this. It's like they've made a cool machine, but it just doesn't have a niche. That, and it needs to be held by an arm, which kind of defeats the point of the machine.


Let me know when they make this thing jump and be able to scale rocky slopes. Then I'll be impressed. Right now, i'd go for a wheeled machine any day.

[/not trying to dampen the mood, just don't see the point]

 

You won't get a machine that can climb until you get a machine that can walk. As you said yourself, this thing is still in its infancy, so it may seem pointless now, but have far-reachin implications later. If you look at something like BigDog, they're already remarkably stable on tricky terrain. This research also helps us understand biomechanics, which could help in things like artificial limb development.

 

That's a good point, it could help in developing artificial limbs. That's actually useful.

But I still cringe whenever I see a legged robot that's not being used for entertainment purposes. Then again, I'm the guy who actually hates the AT-AT and AT-ST from Star Wars, so even within entertainment there are limits to how much I can suspend my disbelief.

Still, if it makes artificial limbs, I'll be happy and be morally supporting the project. But if it,s used for combat or military use, I will be very disappointed because wheels are better.  

 

this

 

It would make a hell of a pet. And unlike our idiot dogs this guy wouldn't shit on the floor.

 

oh wow, 18 mph? bitch please a real cheetah can run 75 mph

 

It broke 28mph recently

Cheetah robot breaks its own land-speed record, and Bolt's (w/ Video)

Not real life cheetah speed, but getting better I guess.