INCREDIBLE footage shows China’s robust bionic dog equipped with wheels speeding through rough terrain while performing shocking stunts.
Deep Robotics, a Chinese tech company specializing in humanoid robots, says the quadruped is “unstoppable” even in “extreme weather”.
4
4
4
Footage released by the company shows the robo-dog descending a hill while dodging massive pieces of rocks.
The attached wheels allow it to run down steep slopes as well as hop over obstacles as it makes its way through thought terrains.
The wheels can also be locked so the robodog can walk in the traditional way, which is needed to climb stairs and perform some more acrobatic manoeuvres.
To demonstrate its extraordinary skills, the quadruped then stands on its two legs before climbing on a two-foot rock.
It can move swiftly on rocky terrain, climb up and down stairs, and can even do a backflip.
In a different footage, the bionic dog is shown carrying 20kg of food and water to a shady riverside picnic in very hot weather.
It can operate from -20°C to 55°C; and is even waterproof for any trips in torrential rain.
And it can reach anywhere, giving enemies no chance to flee.
The firm wrote on its website: “With X30’s unique integrated perception, it can autonomously navigate and operate in extreme environments such as darkness, strong light, flickering, and even without any light source.”
The metre-long quadruped can trot after its owner for between 2.5 and four hours until its battery dies.
With max speeds of four metres per second, it can cover roughly 10km of ground in that time.
The company is currently selling the quadrupeds to industries such as power and utilities, rescue, tunnel, metal and mining, construction, and research.
But it says on its website that it does also sell to individuals.
The company appears to be trying to advertise the X30’s individual-use cases, in an effort to lure in more “geek” buyers.
There is currently no price for the X30 on the DEEP Robotics website.
However, it is currently being resold on a US site, Maverick Drone Systems, for an eyewatering $65,000 (£51,100).
The battery alone is being sold for $4,500 (£3,540).
“Such a cool use case,” one onlooker wrote beneath the YouTube video. “Too many robots focus on factories but never the normal person.”
They added: “Outdoor enthusiasts will love these in the future.”
Robo wars
The use case for these types of robots for the average consumer is unclear – they could be bag carriers for the wealthy or perhaps replace home security systems.
However, they have caught the eye of military bodies in both China and the US.
In May, China had a test run with robot dogs equipped with machine guns on their back.
The machine gun robodogs went through drills for a 15-day exercise called Golden Dragon with Chinese and Cambodian troops.
The US Marines have also been testing a similar robot dog with a an AI-targeting rifle attached to it for “fifth generation” warfare.
4
