Boston Dynamics Corp. (Waltham, Mass.) recently completed field testing WildCat, a four-legged motorized robot. The company, which receives funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), builds robots that mimic animals and their abilities to maneuver through rough terrain. WildCat is a second-generation quadruped that follows Boston Dynamics’ famous Cheetah robot. Last year, Cheetah set a new record for legged robots when it galloped at 29.3 mph, surpassing Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) record of 13.1 mph set in 1989. And Cheetah’s milestone also beats the 27.78 mph speed record held by the fastest man in the world, Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.
Here’s a look at nine animal-inspired robots that make up Boston Dynamics’ menagerie.