Before you read any further, check out this video of BigDog.
Okay - so what was your reaction? When I saw the video (sent to me by a fellow coworker), I was amazed that robots have developed this far. I watched in disbelief, and then the sobering fact that this is real occurred to me. My next thoughts were, “I wonder how many processors they use to control that” and “I want to see the components inside of that thing!” See what engineering does to us?
Anyway, I’ve contacted Boston Dynamics to learn more. I’m waiting for a reply – although I imagine there are enough patents on this machine to fill a library, so I may not gleam too much additional info.
Science-fiction may have taught us to fear advanced technology by showing us how much we have yet to learn, and uncovering new risks. Certainly the world we live in today would frighten someone in 1908. Taking small steps in technological advancement helps us deal with these changes and adapt to new concepts. I wonder if by 2050 we will have versions of BigDog as pets, security devices, or working machines. If we do, they might not seem any more strange to us than a cell phone or GPS.