PETMAN: the Pentagon’s creepy humanoid robot gets clothed for new video

Madison Ruppert
Activist Post

In a new video, the Boston Dynamics-manufactured humanoid robot called “PETMAN” is shown with a flame-retardant camouflage jumpsuit and a gas mask walking, squatting, rotating and performing some other human-like actions.

This robot is part of the Pentagon’s focus on more lifelike humanoid robots which approach the efficiency of human beings. One of the Navy’s robots can even recognize gestures and throw grenades.

In addition to the human-like robots, the Pentagon is focusing on robots modeled after animals like the autonomous jellyfish drone, drones modeled after insects that are capable of killing, a bird-like drone already seen in the wild, ultra-quiet drones modeled after owls and a record-breaking robot modeled after a cheetah. 

This particular robot, shown in the Boston Dynamics video (embedded below), was manufactured for the Department of Defense’s Chemical and Biological Defense program.

According to Danger Room, a robot like this would be used to perform rescue missions that wouldn’t be safe for a human being in a chemical or biological attack situation.

“That is, if it can maneuver past rubble, navigate uneven spaces and retain its balance, all of which are difficult propositions for a robot,” writes Spencer Ackerman.

However, according to Boston Dynamics, PETMAN is actually designed to test chemical protection clothing.

“Unlike previous suit testers that had a limited repertoire of motion and had to be supported mechanically, PETMAN balances itself and moves freely; walking, bending and doing a variety of suit-stressing calisthenics during exposure to chemical warfare agents,” Boston Dynamics states.

Yet robots closely related to PETMAN are clearly aimed at going far beyond just testing suits, such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Pet-Proto robot shown navigating obstacles in the video below.

A robot somewhat similar to PETMAN, called Atlas, will be used in the DARPA Robotics Challenge program in 2013, according to Boston Dynamics. 

Did I forget anything or miss any errors? Would you like to make me aware of a story or subject to cover? Or perhaps you want to bring your writing to a wider audience? Feel free to contact me at [email protected] with your concerns, tips, questions, original writings, insults or just about anything that may strike your fancy.

Please support our work and help us start to pay contributors by doing your shopping through our Amazon link or check out some must-have products at our store.

This article first appeared on End the Lie

Madison Ruppert is the Editor and Owner-Operator of the alternative news and analysis database End The Lie and has no affiliation with any NGO, political party, economic school, or other organization/cause. He is available for podcast and radio interviews. Madison also now has his own radio show on UCYTV Monday nights 7 PM – 9 PM PT/10 PM – 12 AM ET. Show page link here: http://UCY.TV/EndtheLie. If you have questions, comments, or corrections feel free to contact him at [email protected]