Technology
MIT’s backflipping mini ‘cheetah’ robot sure is a show off
Look, we get it. Robots are here and they’re totally awesome and everything. But do they have to be so goddamn cocky about it?
MIT’s new backflipping “mini cheetah robot” is the latest addition to a long line of electronic showoffs reminding us that we’ll never be as agile as something cooked up in a lab.
“At only 20 pounds the limber quadruped can bend and swing its legs wide, enabling it to walk either right side up or upside down,” writes MIT — definitely not rubbing it in that we can’t walk upside down — in a description of the Feb. 28 video.
But wait, there’s more. “The robot can also trot over uneven terrain about twice as fast as an average person’s walking speed.”
Oh gee, great. Getting away from this four-legged reminder of our own inadequacy now requires jogging?
Sigh. If there’s one thing this new cheetah bot makes clear, it’s that the robot apocalypse will be heavy on the shame factor.
Zomato’s quick commerce unit Blinkit eclipses core food business in value, says Goldman Sachs
Monsta X’s I.M on making music, gaming, and being called ‘zaddy’
Petlibro’s new smart refrigerated wet food feeder is what your cat deserves
The books on your favorite creators’ TBR shelf
Xaira, an AI drug discovery startup, launches with a massive $1B, says it’s ‘ready’ to start developing drugs
Rabbit R1 hands-on review: Something is iffy about this
UK probes Amazon and Microsoft over AI partnerships with Mistral, Anthropic, and Inflection
‘Shōgun’ co-creators break down the finale: ‘It’s a story about death’
Tesla’s new growth plan is centered around mysterious cheaper models
Tesla’s in trouble. Is Elon Musk the problem?
API startup Noname Security nears $500M deal to sell itself to Akamai
US think tank Heritage Foundation hit by cyberattack
NASA discovered bacteria that wouldn’t die. Now it’s boosting sunscreen.
How to watch ‘Argylle’: When and where is it streaming?
Tesla drops prices, Meta confirms Llama 3 release, and Apple allows emulators in the App Store
Tesla layoffs hit high performers, some departments slashed, sources say
TechCrunch Mobility: Cruise robotaxis return and Ford’s BlueCruise comes under scrutiny
Meta to close Threads in Turkey to comply with injunction prohibiting data-sharing with Instagram
Former top SpaceX exec Tom Ochinero sets up new VC firm, filings reveal
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fines BloomTech for false claims
Zomato’s quick commerce unit Blinkit eclipses core food business in value, says Goldman Sachs
Monsta X’s I.M on making music, gaming, and being called ‘zaddy’
Petlibro’s new smart refrigerated wet food feeder is what your cat deserves
The books on your favorite creators’ TBR shelf
Xaira, an AI drug discovery startup, launches with a massive $1B, says it’s ‘ready’ to start developing drugs
Rabbit R1 hands-on review: Something is iffy about this
UK probes Amazon and Microsoft over AI partnerships with Mistral, Anthropic, and Inflection
‘Shōgun’ co-creators break down the finale: ‘It’s a story about death’
Tesla’s new growth plan is centered around mysterious cheaper models
Tesla’s in trouble. Is Elon Musk the problem?
-
Business7 days agoLangdock raises $3M with General Catalyst to help businesses avoid vendor lock-in with LLMs
-
Entertainment6 days agoWhat Robert Durst did: Everything to know ahead of ‘The Jinx: Part 2’
-
Entertainment6 days agoThis nova is on the verge of exploding. You could see it any day now.
-
Business6 days agoIndia’s election overshadowed by the rise of online misinformation
-
Business5 days agoThis camera trades pictures for AI poetry
-
Business6 days agoCesiumAstro claims former exec spilled trade secrets to upstart competitor AnySignal
-
Business4 days agoTikTok Shop expands its secondhand luxury fashion offering to the UK
-
Business5 days agoBoston Dynamics unveils a new robot, controversy over MKBHD, and layoffs at Tesla
