Boston Dynamics is an engineering company that develops robotics and human simulation systems. The firm was founded in 1992, originating as a result of research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The firm produces products that range from military robots to simulation-based training to physics-based virtual prototyping. Significantly, their robots can perform agility functions and have rough-terrain capability. The firm has also produced DI-Guy, a software application for creating realistic human simulations. DI-Guy was used to replace naval training videos for aircraft launch operations with interactive 3D computer simulations. The firm obtained a Department of Defense Award and is producing various products and applications for military and daily practical use purposes.

Other clients of the Boston firm include Sony— with whom they have assisted with entertainment robots, specifically the humanoid robot simulator QRIO which Sony uses for developing mechanical designs, control systems, and motion planning. The firm has also done work for the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) on dramatization, advanced military simulation, and artificial intelligence. The work was reportedly used to train U.S. Army officers in difficult decision-making efforts in complex situations.

The Leg Lab

The work in robotics of Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert stretches back to 1980, when Raibert started the Leg Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University. In 1986, he moved the lab to MIT when he became Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the Artificial Intelligence Lab at MIT. Raibert pioneered a method of robotics engineering based on physics-inspired control laws. Raibert and his team favor eloquent hardware based on animal limb design. The lab was home to the first robots to dynamically mimic human walking and swinging, such as an inverted pendulum from step to step. One notable project was a robot that could flip itself in an aerial somersault and land on its feet. At the 17th International Federation of Automatic Control World Congress in 2008 Mr. Railbert stated that:
“Less than half the Earth’s landmass is accessible to existing wheeled and tracked vehicles. But people and animals using their legs can go almost anywhere on Earth. Our mission at Boston Dynamics is to develop a new breed of rough-terrain robots that capture the mobility, autonomy and speed of living creatures. Such robots will travel in outdoor terrain that is too steep, rutted, rocky, wet, muddy, and snowy for conventional vehicles. They will also travel in cities and in our homes, doing chores and providing care, where steps, stairways and household clutter limit the utility of wheeled vehicles. Robots meeting these goals will have terrain sensors, sophisticated computing and power systems, advanced actuators and dynamic controls.”

The accomplishments of the Leg Lab include development of legged robots, including one-legged hoppers, bipedal walkers and runners, a quadruped, and two kangaroo-like robots. The machines can navigate basic paths on flat and rolling terrains. They could also climb stairways, jump over obstacles in their path, and execute basic gymnastic functions.

Dr. Ivan Sutherland, head of ARPA (now DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) was an early financial supporter of Leg Lab’s research. In 1980, ARPA funded the first hopping machine, Planar, a one legged unit that balances itself and performs the primary task of moving forward and hopping over obstacles in its path. Through the early 80’s, the robots continued to evolve. Four-legged robots were created. Robots performed feats of bounding gaits, trotting and pacing, stairway climbs, and adapting to transitions between terrains were reached. In the 90’s, kangaroo-like features were introduced, as well as weight shifting abilities and the ability to balance payloads on the primary structure of the unit. In the late 90’s, M2, a bipedal robot with feet and actuated ankles, emerged. It could successfully maneuver itself along with a quadruped unit with articulate spine than can performing running functions.

With accomplishments measured by simplistic functions as putting one foot forward and creating a single stride, the 60-some pound robot M2 balanced itself adequately with its aluminum leg muscles, nervous system of wires and circuit boards, and CPU chip to power brain functions. It was able to obtain balance and steady itself after being pushed to one side. Scientists would work the unit daily to issue step commands, test, and make programming and control adjustments each controlling individual muscles and motor functions of the two legged unit. Multiple crashes were the norm with the robot leaning too far to one side or a misplaced step function. All is accomplished with simulation software designed to assist scientists from transforming a video presentation functions to that of the real work performance of the M2 robot. M2, a robotic unit patterned after a 6 foot-tall man, with joints, hips, knees and ankles all tied together with elastic tendons, was launched in 1997. Sensors track ground pressure and the angles of each of the joints, and a 3D motion sensor duplicates the function of the inner ear balance.

Present developments

In current day, Boston Dynamics has a series of robots with animal-like abilities that are as eerie as amazing. BigDog is the latest quadruped robot that moves with organic balance. It is Boston Dynamics’ response to a Department of Defense request to develop a robot that can run, maneuver and jump with animal-like strength, speed and mobility.

BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. It runs on a gas powered engine and an electric motor version is in the making. The legs of BigDog are articulated like an animal’s and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. The entire unit is the size of a very large dog—it measures over 3 feet long, 2 feet tall and weighs over 160 pounds.

BigDog has an on-board computer that controls locomotion, leg functions, and a wide variety of sensors. Its control system manages the dynamics of its behavior in order to keep it balanced, steer, navigate, and regulate its use of energy as conditions vary. Sensors for locomotion include joint position, joint force, ground contact, ground load, a laser gyroscope, and a stereo vision system. Other sensors focus on the internal systems such as monitoring hydraulics, oil pressure and temperature, engine, rpm, and battery charge. In separate trials, BigDog has run at 4 mph, climbed slopes up to 35 degrees, and carried a 340 pound load.

LittleDog is a quadruped robot developed for research on locomotion. It is utilized to probe the fundamental relationships between motor learning, dynamic control, perception of the environment, and rough terrain locomotion. LittleDog has four legs, each powered by three electric motors, which deliver a broad range of motion and workspace, including climbing. The onboard PC-level computer has sensing, actuator control and communications. LittleDog’s sensors measure joint angles, motor currents, body orientation and foot/ground contact. Control programs access the robot through the Boston Dynamics Robot API. Onboard lithium polymer batteries allow for 30 minutes of continuous operation without recharging. Wireless communications and data logging support remote operation and analysis.