MIT’s Cheetah Robot Can See, Leap Clear Of Obstacles [Video]


Practically any advance in robotic science is met with a varied array of reactions from the public, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s newest creation, cheetah robot, is no exception. Internet commenters are showing a mix of awe and trepidation in the face of cheetah robot’s new feat — the ability for a robot to sense and circumvent obstacles through the use of a leaping motion.

Cheetah robot’s impressive stride is explained on the MIT News website.

“To get a running jump, the robot plans out its path, much like a human runner: As it detects an approaching obstacle, it estimates that object’s height and distance. The robot gauges the best position from which to jump, and adjusts its stride to land just short of the obstacle, before exerting enough force to push up and over. Based on the obstacle’s height, the robot then applies a certain amount of force to land safely, before resuming its initial pace.”

No matter how helpful, docile, or insignificant, many see robots as one of the greatest threats to the future of humanity. Though at present time, it’s unlikely that even the robots of the next decade will be capable of the kind of thought that would overthrow our society as we know it, the idea of robots evolving on to something more powerful than their creators still inspires fear in the hearts of those who see an existential threat in developing robotic technology.

Even scientific community celebrities like Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and chief product architect at Tesla Motors, have made their suspicion of artificial intelligence known.

Do you think cheetah robot could be the harbinger of a robot uprising?

[Image via MIT]

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