Really Awesome Robot Videos

Boing Boing linked to this video of a robotic "pack-mule" designed by Boston Dynamics. It's really amazing, and kinda funny, especially when the scientist dude kicks it and it stumbles sideways and regains it's balance. I explored the other robots on their site, and they're all pretty great.

I love how robot designers are taking cues from animals and insects in their designs, and it's really nice to see the things actually work. I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg of what we'll see in our lives, and I like the fact that these utilitarian, functional, and totally practical robots happen to be such funny and fun-to-watch creatures. It's officially the future, and the robots are kinda adorable.

The Videos:
RHex - weird thing that can walk on anything
BigDog - pack-mule quadruped
LittleDog - small quadruped for locomotion research
RiSE - a tree and wall climber