Boston Dynamics continues to “improve” its Big Dog robot. Not content with giving it an arm for a head that can throw cinder blocks, the Pentagon has asked for the Big Dog to be more quiet. Also bulletproof. OH GOODY. The LS3 Support System, better known to robophiles (as in people who like robots, not our own admittedly highly loveable Robopanda) as “Big Dog”, just got an extra ten million in funding from DARPA. Why? Within the general scope of work of Phase 2, the modification adds additional tasks to the contract for the development of an enhanced version of the LS3 system with increased reliability and usability, enhanced survivability against small arms fire and a quiet power supply to support stealthy tactical operations. Just to review, Big Dog can already do this:
