John Pieret on 07 Sep 2012 at 9:31 am

They reverse the articulation of the cheetah’s “elbow” and “knee” joints. Is there any explanation for this?

Maybe they want to avoid a crowded leg arrangement like this:
http://cdn.attackofthecute.com/February-13-2012-18-04-10-tumblrlxbbtfreXx1r9am9uo1500.jpg

http://youtu.be/mclbVTIYG8E

Would be nice to see this guy walking Big Dog on a leash

Let’s hope it can also repair itself then…

Yes, boring, running on a track. I prefer mountain trails. However, for the past six weeks, I have been cycling instead, courtesy of tendonitis that won’t let me run but is unaffected by cycling. Cycling is completely boring. Until you get to the downhill bits! Then it frightens the shit out of you. Kinda like giving anaesthetics I imagine. Boring till something goes wrong. Then you’d probably be feeling like Usain Bolt.

In the end, it will still boil down to one 18 year old kid with a rifle, holding that hill.

First, think of what the future will hold. Besides the prospect of robots killing humans, probably within a decade this sort of technology with have advanced enough that future humans (maybe even ourselves) will be reflecting on our arrogance at calling this a ‘cheetah’. The rate at which this tech has advanced is epic, and I don’t see that slowing any time soon. Maybe there will even be serious competition between nations, especially when more nations get in on this and prospects for weaponising it are realised.

Second, kawarthajon. Bear in mind that Usain Bolt didn’t exactly make the record on a mountain trail. We improve the conditions as much as possible, and they train and prepare as best as they can, to set the record on a nice flat track.

I think we’ll aim for something like Ravage in Revenge Of The Fallen, if we ever get close. Something like Big Dog could be developed into something more humanitarian, because it could be used for transport and the speed is pretty much irrelevant. We don’t need a cheetah to transport in a peaceful area, and we don’t need the speed advantage (we could just use a car or truck etc).

Consider the apparent tactical value of a meat-free four-legged suicide bomber that:

- can traverse terrain only accessible by foot (e.g., cave)
- can deliver a precision payload
- can be remotely controlled from the comfort of your own home
- is indifferent to bullets, does not bleed, has no fear, can not vote
- presumably appeals to PETA

I will go out on a limb and say that the list of intended uses would probably be expanded in the future.

The next step is to cover the robot warrior cheetahs in synthetically grown animal flesh & hair to blend in with local wild life (where cheetahs are indigenous) & not look like a enemy robot. We can call them Cheeterminators.