In one of his speeches, Elon Musk said that human survival as a species, it is necessary to “merge” with the machines – that is, to turn into a cyborg. In conditions when changing before our very eyes (not for the better) climate, degraded ecosystem and at the same time is preparing for first Mars mission, many such statements do not seem something out of the ordinary.
One of the leaders in the field of robotics company Sarcos Robotics (USA) presented its new development – a robot Guardian GT, equipped with six-foot hands-manipulators capable of lifting up to 230 kg each. To operate it, the operator is clothed in a jointed exoskeleton. Connected in one piece with the robot, a person is empowered, allowing him to move objects weighing up to 500 kg, while taking pains only 2 kg.
Sarcos Robotics intends to rely on a Guardian GT for emptying waste containers, reloading of metal pipes and fulfillment of other loading operations. The robot is equipped with a diesel engine and, as the developers say, the ability to move at a speed of 6 km/hour for 7 hours, carrying heavy loads.
Unlike killer cyborgs from sci-Fi movies, Guardian GT was created for testing interactions of man and machine for exclusively peaceful purposes. In particular, the results obtained can be useful in the future when you create robotic prosthetic limbs.
Source — MIT Technology Review