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The centaurs of Greek mythology were creatures part human and part horse. Usually portrayed with the torso and head of a human, and the body of a horse. Common theory holds that the idea of centaurs came from the first reaction of a non-riding culture to invading equestrianis. All links on this page open in a new window. Close the window to return here.
Machines that roll on wheels are inherently stable and easy to design and build. Until the advent of small
powerful computers, and some very creative programming, walking machines, especially those that were stable
and could navigate rough terrain, eluded man's best attempts.
The addition of a head, neck & torso would allow the cameras, infrared, radar and other
sensors to be gimbaled which would subtract the body motion, offering a rock solid view of
the world, while walking or galloping over rough terrain.
Not only would the added arms handle standard off-the-shelf weapons, or pickup and use discarded
weapons from the battlefield, the arms could also be employed to do self-maintenance, reloading,
refueling, opening doors, moving obstructions, retrieving evidence, defusing bombs, and other
functions.
The arms would have many times the strength of human arms, and with the
addition of touch sensors in the "hands", the arms could gently rescue a child, or easily rip a
door off it's hinges.
(Quadruped by Boston Dynamics. Torso by
MIT CSAIL
)
Currently powered by a small engine.
A little more research and development should offer a combination diesel/electric version
capable of sneaking around quietly on battery power, then starting its engine
for more speed and power when needed. A biological dog can run up to 30 miles an hour.
Cheetahs
can do near 70. More power and faster computers should eventually allow the new
centaur version of the Big Dog to make speeds faster than a dog and maybe nearing
that of a cheetah.
Unlike animals, the mechanical centaur will never tire,
and with the occasional refueling, should be able to sustain high-speeds and hard labor indefinitely.
Adding a little armor, TV camera eys, and set of arms, and this thing
could do some wonderful and terrifying things on the battlefield.
Adding metal-detectors and chemical sensors to the feet, the new centaur could walk
through minefields and sidestep dangers that wheeled or tracked vehicles cannot. A data-link
between follow-up centaurs would allow them to navigate the dangers faster than the point unit.
The use of GPS, sensors, and communications, could allow these new centaurs to swarm and work
together like no other machine ever created.
Hand this thing a shovel and it could clear minefields, or do a little light gardening.
Gardening is not much different than clearing a minefield, except for the occasional exploding weed.
Once the cost of manufacturing is reduced to some reasonable level, this thing could be employed
in the agricultural industry.
(Shovel by Ace Hardware ;-)
The ability to use standard human hand tools will allow the new centaur to do nearly anything currently
done by us slow, weak, and expensive human beings. As the cost comes down, the day may come when these
things are doing all manor of manual labor, from painting your house, to building a highway.
The military version would also carry radiation, chemical, and other sensors to check the area
before humans are advised to enter. And, of course, with their arms and saddlebags, the new centaur
could easily place explosives, or place and retrieve surveillance and other sensors.
After the threat has been eliminated, the new centaur could stow its weapons, and with its 340 pound
load capability, could kneel down and use its arms to pick up and rescue downed soldiers or
injured civilians.
Telepresence would allow medics and surgeons to remotely work through the new centaur to save lives
on the battlefield or in the civilian world.
(Human by Procreation ;-)
The day is coming when many of our warriors may no longer need to be exposed to the dangers of battle.
They may be miles away, or half-way around the world, operating the new centaurs from the comfort and
security of an office building. Obviously, engaging in battle from a remote and safe location does wonders
to instill confidence and courage in the operator, and greatly discourages the slow, week, and scared,
human adversary.
Unlike the current rolling and flying military hardware, this thing cries out to be dressed up
as a mythical monster.
In my opinion, when the R&D is completed, the usually staid and conservative
military should break from tradition and turn this thing over to some of the best Hollywood special
effects and makeup artists for it’s outward appearance.
As Sun Tzu, author of
The Art of War some 2500 years ago
said, “All warfare is based on deception." and "Learn your enemy’s fears and
superstitions and build upon them."
People are emotional animals. This thing’s fear factor should be given as much attention
as it’s armor and armament.
Imagine a horde of these modern-day centaurs with arms to carry weapons and the head of a
fire-breathing dragon storming an enemy position.
As much as I despise war for the carnage, damage, and human suffering it creates, nothing spurs man's
creativity faster and better than a good old-fashioned war.
DARPA, the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with it's near infinitely deep
pockets is funding this, as well as many other research projects.
The above video indicates that Boston Dynamic’s Big Dog is being developed as a mechanical pack animal, to
assist our soldiers in moving their supplies through the battlefield. Wheeled vehicles are much easier
to build and can be faster than walking machines, but walking, running, and jumping can navigate terrain
that would stop wheels in their tracks. As much as this walking "pack animal" machine may help our soldiers,
but this engineer’s eye sees much more in this artificial animal's future.
I'm not on Boston Dynamic’s design team, nor am I in any way associated with DARPA, but the Big Dog
has stirred, in this old design engineer, a fundamental desire to design. As I’m sure these guys
don’t need my help, and since I’m very unlikely to be included in their design loop, this old Silicon Valley
engineer will relive some of his pent up design energies through this web site.
Add an upper torso, arms and head
Handles all standard human tools
Rescuing downed soldiers or injured civilians
(Body by Prof Scrub.
Head by Squidoo)
A few of these centaurs, swarming in at high-speed and working in concert, could easily take on and defeat hundreds of the enemy in one very lopsided battle after another. A few new centaurs stationed or roaming around a facility, or neighborhood, could offer the ultimate in defense and security. These guard dogs never sleep!
With the addition of a bi-directional sound system, the operators could talk with civilians and other non-combatants to reassure them, interrogate captives, give commands, or listen for possible threats and other acoustic information. The loudspeaker system should probably have a Jekyll & Hyde mode of operation; a loud and scary monster-like command voice, and a softer, more human-like, civilian voice. The simple push of a button, by the remote operator, could instantly give commands, or reassurances in any human language, and/or record or translate responses from those spoken to.
The enemy commonly uses walkie-talkies or cell phones to communicate. Several Centaurs, equipped with broadband radio receivers, and working together, could detect and locate a person talking over a walkie-talkie or cell phone in a fraction of a second. The conversation could be sent to HQ for intelligence, or the location could be dealt with in a more immediate and direct manor.
With a couple of gyros for added stability during mid-air jumps, and a little more speed and power, the new centaur could jump over wide or tall obstructions like ravines, creeks, brush, or small buildings.
The new centaur’s hooves “feet” should be designed in such a way to allow them to expand and contract for different surfaces. They could spread out, like a camel’s foot, for loose sand or snow. Have retractable claws for ice, and inflatable soft pads for silent walking.
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After an incoming RPG or mortar threat has been detected and neutralized, the onboard computers would compute the return path to the point of origin, and either return fire, or through its communications system, notify other assets of the location.
Several Centaurs working together, and equipped with sensors similar to the ShotSpoter, and using their GPS and communications, could rapidly detect and locate small arms fire, then also either return fire or notify others.
The civilian Centaur may be able to use its microphones and a similar algorithm to the ShotSpoter to locate trapped or lost people in buildings.
With a friendlier face, and a few other modifications, this thing could ultimately
become humanity’s new best friend.
Civilian uses of this Big Dog could include such things as search and rescue, fire fighting,
industrial maintenance in dangerous envrionments, and a myriad of other uses.
In a decade or three, there will come the day when we humans will give a single Centaur, or an
entire company of them a mission, then simply sit back and let them get to work.
In time these machines may actually have some form of rudimentary self-awareness, but hopefully
we will be able to ingrain them with
Isaac Asimov's
three laws of robotics:
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders
would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict
with the First or Second Law.
A stethoscope in a finger, a built-in sphygmomanometer, oxcimeter, and other medical instruments, carrying
saddlebags with oxygen bottles, IV fluids, drinking water, and other supplies, the medical centaur could
save many lives, both on the battlefield and in the civilian world.
A smiley-face may be a bit over the top, but I suspect a friendly looking human face
would do much to instill confidence and reassurance in those being rescued or helped.
A Friendlier Face
Initially human beings will remotely control the New Centaur. Algorithms will handle much of
the low-level walking and running functions, some autonomous movement, navigation, self-defense,
and other functions will be expected, but people will do much of its decision-making.
As more progress is done in the field of AI
“
Artificial Intelligence” the New Centaur will eventually be able to handle more of its
work completely on its own, of course always with a failsafe human override.
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to
come to harm.
1. A battle robot may not injure a human member of its force or ally or, through inaction, allow a member of its force or ally to come to harm, unless ordered otherwise by a ranking human member of its force.2. A battle robot must obey orders given to it by the local highest-ranking human member of its force or ally, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A battle robot must take advantage of any opportunity to engage, subdue or destroy the enemy, unless ordered otherwise by a ranking human member of its force or ally.
4. A battle robot must protect its own existence, and that of other allied battle machinery, as long as such protection does not conflict with the first three laws.
5. The Commander and Chief or his assigned reprehensive may, through secure communications, temporarily suspend any of the above laws.
Boston Dynamic’s Big Dog is well on its way to becoming the Army’s next great helper, but I have no idea if they are thinking about the additional designs and changes to create something like the New Centaur, but I hope they are.As time propels the evolution of walking machines onward, eventually someone will see the inevitable and produce something like the New Centaur.
The day is coming...
| " I want one with a saddle to ride to town. " |
|
-J.R. Whipple |