GE Walking Truck - Cybernetic Anthropomorphous Machine (CAM) 1969.
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN cites it in robotics threads as proof that legged machines were mechanically feasible in the 1960s, long before Boston Dynamics.
What it is
Short footage of the General Electric Cybernetic Anthropomorphous Machine, or Walking Truck, a 1960s quadruped vehicle operated by a human driver using hydraulic limbs. The uploader notes it predates Big Dog by decades.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2013 to 2019.
What Hacker News said
Cites robomartin · 2013-10 · on “Boston Dynamics Unleashes Wildcat, the Sprinting Quadruped Robot”
In a different thread there was an argument about the relative futility of some of today's robotics experiments [0]. As it is sometimes typical on HN, the poster with a message outside the "go team" cargo-cult mentality wasn't very welcome. I happen to think he had a very interesting point. And that point translates well into this thread. Why don't we see practical applications of all of these robotics experiments? The answer is very simple really: Most of them are relatively pointless and add very little to the robotics knowledge-base that will be needed to really move robotics forward into real-world applied robots. Think of something like robotics vacuum cleaners. Nothing whatsoever innov
Cites robomartin · 2013-10 · on “Boston Dynamics Unleashes Wildcat, the Sprinting Quadruped Robot”
Not sure I understand your position. In the spectrum of what robotics could do for society I see a wide range of truly paradigm shifting applications. These are applications that can change the lives of millions of people. They all require massive improvements in the areas I mentioned in my post. The mechanics are almost academic as is evidenced by the GE walker from 1965 [0]. In terms of mechanical engineering we could do an insanely complex machine back in 1965. I see no point in creating something as clumsy as Wildcat when what we need are significant improvements in AI. Think of what would be required for a quadruped to be able to climb a rocky terrain like a goat. We can do the mechanic
Cites Animats · 2017-07 · on “Under the Hood of Luminar's Long-Reach Lidar”
It's been tried a few times. Early versions were really clunky. Later versions were usually art projects. * General Electric Walking Truck (1969) [1] * Adaptive Suspension Vehicle (1984) [2] * Korean giant mecha (2016) [3] The BPG Motors Uno transforming motorcycle seemed a good idea, but they gave up on it.[4] [1] [this video] [2] [LINK] [3] [LINK] [4] [LINK]
Cites alex_young · 2019-09 · on “Walking Truck”
Video: [this video] The thing looks a little top heavy to me. I wonder if there are airbags :) Also - external hydraulics seems like quite a limitation.
Cites krapp · 2019-09 · on “Walking Truck”
Progress takes time, and ambulatory motion is a finicky, delicate nightmare that only seems simple in humans and animals thanks to millions of years of evolution. CAM was created in the 1960s[0], but BigDog[1] and other recent Boston Dynamics quadrupeds that aren't designed for human passengers are much faster[2], but still awkward. Also remember these are expensive prototypes designed to test things other than speed. Making them faster only guarantees that they break themselves harder when they run into a wall or trip over a cliff or something. [0] [this video] [1] [LINK] [2] [LINK] >I think Neal Stephenson described a skateboard with hundreds of tiny feet, moving faster than wheels on any surfa