Americans launch a military robot to carry goods

Boston-based Boston Dynamics, known for its robots BigDog and PETMAN, announced last week the beginning of the industrial production of self-propelled mobile robot Legged Squad Support System – an acronym LS3. This robot “mule” for the U.S. Army conducted a few years.

The main purpose of the robot LS3 – carrying cargo and ammunition for the soldiers. Thanks to the computer system of recognition, the robot will move independently of the operator, overcoming various obstacles landscape. Using a mobile platform and a system of GPS, he can just get yourself up to a location specified by the operator. The robot is designed for portability 180 kilograms of cargo. Fuel enough for 32 kilometers and 24 hours of walking alone.

Now Boston Dynamics has signed a contract for production with the company and Darpa hopes to build a prototype robot LS3 over 30 months – by 2012. The project cost $ 32 million.

It is worth noting that, in their technical characteristics and the American robot LS3 is slightly inferior to similar Israeli mobile robot REX, which is able to move up to three days without refueling and carry 200 kilograms of cargo. At the same time advantage LS3 – in the effectiveness of methods of movement: walking on rough terrain!