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Big Dogs
by Andrew McCaskey
Slashdot Review Podcast
Sponsored in part by : WickedLasers.com the
world’s most powerful consumer laser.
Thanks to August Jackson and Glenn Gardner for their continued underwriting support for SDR.
Today’s SDR You Tube reminders include Wicked Lasers and Big Dogs. The Wicked Laser videos are among the first ones posted, while the Big Dog is the most recent posting.
Thanks go out to listener Dan Fleitas, in Miami who recommended a run with the Big Dogs. It is the feature video on the SlashdotReview group today at YouTube.com
The Big Dog in question is from Boston Dynamics. First thing that I would recommend it that you turn down the sound – it it pretty much like a continuous weed whacker – but once you have a chance to see what the Big Dog can do, you will understand that this is not going to be a Duracell commercial anytime soon.
The Big Dog is a quadruped robot - and if it were a dog, it would be of the Marmaduke variety on steroids. Some of the initial footage has it carrying four field packs – so you can appreciate the DARPA money from the start. I watched this machine take little steps back and forth like some sort of insect /canine cross. It is pretty amazing to watch it find the best fo.
The highlight of the video is a swift kick in the ribs. One of the men in the photo zooms in from the left frame, delivers the kick, and the Big Dog is momentarily stunned, stumbles but regains its footing and carrys on. This thing is the stuff of insectoid nightmares
There was a news item today of a new robotic leg from Toyota but I have not been able to find the video on YouTube yet to post. I hope that it will get uploaded over the weekend, so that we can add it to the collection.
I certainly hope that today’s article on YouTube’s potential RIAA / MPAA troubles is overstated.
What is interesting is that at least one of the music industry providers has tolerated You Tube play of their music videos – recognizing the promotional value of the material, and the incredible leverage that the young audience kicks in when the YouTube or MySpace version of the music video goes viral. It looks to me that it is all upside – the stupid dorm tricks and lip-sync versions are not going to have the staying power, and may well prompt a search for the real thing.
You just can beat the intersection of business, politics and technology – in entertainment value alone !
Click to view videos submitted or recommended by other SDR podcast listeners. . .
If you find a YouTube video that pertains to one of our news items, or have produced an item that would be of interest to SDR listeners, please send us the link slashdotreview{at}gmail.com
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