Watch four-legged AlphaDog robot go for a walk and roll over

By Rick Marshall Published October 3, 2011

Move over, BigDog, there’s a new headless, quadrupedic robot in town — and its name is AlphaDog.

Robots manufacturer Boston Dynamics recently debuted some video of the next-generation robotic “mule” it’s developing as a method for transporting military equipment around uneven terrain. The company has been working on a four-legged machine for hauling gear since 2005, and its videos featuring the “BigDog” robots have been an online (and on-air) hit, showing off the robots ability to handle all manner of environment and external obstacles (including soldiers trying to knock it down).

The AlphaDog video shows that the robot has learned a few new tricks since we last saw it — such as the ability to right itself after being knocked over. The AlphaDog can also carry up to 400 pounds (60 more than its BigDog predecessor), and can walk for 20 miles without needing recalibration or refueling.

Officially titled the Legged Squad Support System (L3), AlphaDog and BigDog are being developed through funding by DARPA, though it will still be a little while before they’re in active use. The military is expected to begin testing the robots in 2012.

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Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2023 Awards

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From VR to AI, eVTOLs and QD-OLED, the acronyms were flying and fresh technologies populated every corner of the show floor, and even the parking lot. So naturally, we poked, prodded, and tried on everything we could. They weren’t all revolutionary. But they didn’t have to be. We’ve watched enough waves of “game-changing” technologies that never quite arrive to know that sometimes it’s the little tweaks that really count.

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CES is more than just a neon-drenched show-and-tell session for the world’s biggest tech manufacturers. More and more, it’s also a place where companies showcase innovations that could truly make the world a better place — and at CES 2023, this type of tech was on full display. We saw everything from accessibility-minded PS5 controllers to pedal-powered smart desks. But of all the amazing innovations on display this year, these three impressed us the most:

Samsung's Relumino Mode
Across the globe, roughly 300 million people suffer from moderate to severe vision loss, and generally speaking, most TVs don’t take that into account. So in an effort to make television more accessible and enjoyable for those millions of people suffering from impaired vision, Samsung is adding a new picture mode to many of its new TVs.
[CES 2023] Relumino Mode: Innovation for every need | Samsung
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Entertainment

AI turned Breaking Bad into an anime — and it’s terrifying

Split image of Breaking Bad anime characters.

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Within the past year, AI has also been used to generate beautiful works of art in seconds, creating a viral new trend and causing a boon for fan artists everywhere. TikTok user @cyborgism recently broke the internet by posting a clip featuring many AI-generated pictures of Breaking Bad. The theme here is that the characters are depicted as anime characters straight out of the 1980s, and the result is concerning to say the least. Depending on your viewpoint, Breaking Bad AI (my unofficial name for it) shows how technology can either threaten the integrity of original works of art or nurture artistic expression.
What if AI created Breaking Bad as a 1980s anime?
Playing over Metro Boomin's rap remix of the famous "I am the one who knocks" monologue, the video features images of the cast that range from shockingly realistic to full-on exaggerated. The clip currently has over 65,000 likes on TikTok alone, and many other users have shared their thoughts on the art. One user wrote, "Regardless of the repercussions on the entertainment industry, I can't wait for AI to be advanced enough to animate the whole show like this."