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lughnasadh OP t1_iv6d9bs wrote

Submission Statement

Here's a Twitter thread from lead researcher Deepak Pathak explaining more of this.

When sci-fi writers imagine future widespread robot adoption in society, it's usually with humanoid-type robots. The Will Smith movie "I, Robot" is a good example of this.

Perhaps it's quadrupeds that will get there first. Boston Dynamics Spot is useful enough that you could imagine it selling in tens or hundreds of millions of units around the world; if the price was right, however they cost $74,500. This version was built for $6,000 and the Unittree Go1sells for only $2,700.

If someone brings the functionality demonstrated here in something costing less than $3,000 I would imagine you will start seeing robot dogs everywhere, and they'll have to update any remake of I, Robot.

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botfiddler t1_iv6hw1f wrote

Thanks, I plan to use similar motors for my gynoid at some point. She won't need to walk much, so it should be fine.

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FuturologyBot t1_iv6ii3z wrote

The following submission statement was provided by /u/lughnasadh:


Submission Statement

Here's a Twitter thread from lead researcher Deepak Pathak explaining more of this.

When sci-fi writers imagine future widespread robot adoption in society, it's usually with humanoid-type robots. The Will Smith movie "I, Robot" is a good example of this.

Perhaps it's quadrupeds that will get there first. Boston Dynamics Spot is useful enough that you could imagine it selling in tens or hundreds of millions of units around the world; if the price was right, however they cost $74,500. This version was built for $6,000 and the Unittree Go1sells for only $2,700.

If someone brings the functionality demonstrated here in something costing less than $3,000 I would imagine you will start seeing robot dogs everywhere, and they'll have to update any remake of I, Robot.


Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/yn0gwn/carnegie_mellon_researchers_claim_they_have_used/iv6d9bs/

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Any_Matter_5711 t1_iv6jt9a wrote

Boston dynamic spent alot of money on the mechanics of the bot. Mainly stability and mobility before they went for AI. This is the equivalent of me building a new computer saying look I did it cheaper than Apple in 2000

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Direster t1_iv6lnoo wrote

I agree with you, but I think the point here is the incremental innovation, improving control and reducing cost.

Glad to see this innovation, this opens up quite a lot of use-cases.

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TootsNYC t1_iv6nfwp wrote

The people who come along behind can always do it cheaper or better.

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jenpalex t1_iv6pk48 wrote

This is so cute. Can it be trained to bag and pick up its own poop too?

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coredweller1785 t1_iv6qpiu wrote

Oh thank heavens. So glad our research institutes are competing on robot war death machines instead of actually researching something useful to literally anyone. You know, this capitalist system really does work. /s

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healthychad t1_iv6v71p wrote

We must return to nature. This type of thing leads to a dangerous and horrible place. Robots and AI must be curtailed as much as possible. We must preserve humanity,

Edit bc downvotes are for dorks:

DOUBLING DOWN- THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES HAVE BEEN A DISASTER FOR THE HUMAN RACE

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clump-o-trees t1_iv6whj7 wrote

I never thought I would see a robot dog with that was so much deeper into the uncanny valley than Spot. Compared to this thing spot looks positively natural.

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ShittyBeatlesFCPres t1_iv70xhp wrote

Just think of the possibilities for this tech once they make it more lifelike and go into mass production. By 2040, more legs could be humped each year than were humped in all of human history prior to this moment.

And now that Facebook added legs to the Metaverse, we may someday even see virtual robot dogs humping legs there.

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dustybooksaremyjam t1_iv75zu4 wrote

Much creepier too. Whose idea was it to give it a face and paint it the color of a dead person?!

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duderguy91 t1_iv7amdp wrote

I think in tech we generally have an expectation of things getting cheaper and more available with lower barrier to entry. It’s not always guaranteed but we have gotten used to it so things like this don’t really strike a surprising chord with people.

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Wizofsorts t1_iv7apq3 wrote

I can't wait until there's a 35k human like robot that can take old people to the bathroom and keep them company. Get a dog and one of them and have a happy end to it all.

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coredweller1785 t1_iv7gul3 wrote

Any industry? Robot dogs? How are people this mesmerized.

Can they teach our children? Nope. Can they provide healthcare. Nope. I mean I could go on. There is so much waste here when we could be investing in so many better ideas. What a waste.

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WickedSlice_ t1_iv7iol2 wrote

Why does this one look 10x creepier than Spot?

Seriously looks like it should be in Fallout or Doom or some shit

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botfiddler t1_iv7ks8z wrote

Skynet is fiction and in that fiction it was made by the military to kill people and they gave it the power to do so. Fembots like Cameron (TSCC) where on their way fixing it.

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TheFallingShit t1_iv7ky87 wrote

  • Automated site monitoring (multi floors sites with no need to implement physical changes to sites)
  • Hazardous area physical intervention
  • search & Rescue

If you can't see the value in having a physical presence in dangerous area for men, this is on you. You don't get pass on judgement based on ignorance and straight up stupidity

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Test19s t1_iv7l8sd wrote

Asimo took years while Tesla Optimus (far from cutting edge by today’s standards but would’ve been impressive in 2012) took a matter of months.

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JellyKeyboard t1_iv81bas wrote

Can somebody please educate me on why these robo dogs are useful in the real world?

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SnapcasterWizard t1_iv86qss wrote

They could absolutely be used in medical settings. Moving medicines and supplies around, holding instruments, providing support.

Actually I'm not going any further, either you are completely unimaginative or are just an idiot and I'm going for the latter.

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dtseng123 t1_iv871jp wrote

SpotMicro isn’t very… agile. But it’s like $15 per hobby actuator and relatively a good start for people who want to get into robotics.

I think once BDLC actuators get cheaper then there will be much more adoption in the space. BDLCs cost like 200-400 per each and these dogs have 12. SpotMicro and it’s variations can be anywhere from 500-1000 while a larger DIY BD size dog with more advanced sensors and jetson nano can cost $10,000+

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jjayzx t1_iv88cs8 wrote

Can get the servos for $20 for a 4 pack and under $30 for 6, when I was checking earlier. Hoping better software or something comes along and makes them better in the mean time. If not, still something to tinker with for the time being.

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mediareject t1_iv8j8xf wrote

There are other people out there working on whatever problems you're referring to here. There are so many people working on so many cool things. We should be happy that robotics people are working on things like this. It may not have a clear use for this specific scenario, but the technology could be invaluable for other uses in the future.

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Zombie_farts t1_iv8sy6f wrote

Did no oneon the design team notice the proportions on the 'dog' looks like some hellscape humanoid demon creature with backwards legs? Like even the X on its eyes adds to the creep factor

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spizzywinktom t1_iv9gs9c wrote

That's fine and dandy until they start humping your leg.

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nipsen t1_iv9of4f wrote

Well, you see - unless it's extremely expensive to "make", and can carry guns -- then it has no "market value". LTP

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jjayzx t1_ivaymav wrote

I haven't chosen the specific circuitry yet and have been just printing the body but none of the board mounts. The body is the one with reinforced shoulders, seems to be a newer build and fixes some issues.

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dtseng123 t1_ivaz00g wrote

Yea I have the one made by Adham and Maurice which actually uses ROS. Got pretty far but still stuck on debugging serial communication with the Rpi and teensy controller.

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jjayzx t1_ivb0eo1 wrote

I have rpi and esp32 sitting around, I just didn't deep dive yet to see what route I wanna go. I was just getting most of body printed for now as I still have to finish another project I've been working on.

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