News: ‘Robot horse will stalk you, fall down, get up, and keep stalking’

That’s the headline from a story published yesterday in The Atlantic about a horse-like automaton developed by an agency of the Department of Defense.

The Legged Squad Support System, or LS3, is simultaneously creepy and hilarious.

On one hand, it’s getting smarter and smarter. Which is a little bit scary if, like me, you’re a Battlestar Galactica nerd with a deep-set fear of the impending world robot takeover. The newest model features advances in the robot’s control, stability and maneuverability, including verbal command capability and “Leader Follow” decision making (a.k.a it can accurately stalk targets).

On the other hand, as The Atlantic points out, the robot is arguably still more cute than terrifying: “Those spindly legs! That awkward gallop! That determined strut! As you might say to an actual horse: WHOA.”

Check out this video, which shows the LS3 trotting across a parking lot and going on a trail ride, replete with a creek crossing and a log jump.

[DARPA]

Read the full story in The Atlantic here.