Google acquires Boston Dynamics, maker of animal-inspired robots

[funlife]

Company nabs a maker of impressive walking and running creatures. It's part of Google's effort to buy its way into a future populated by autonomous mechanical entities.

Google has acquired Boston Dynamics, maker of Cheetah, BigDog, WildCat and other nature-inspired robots.

 Google confirmed the acquisition in a Saturday New York Times report, which also broke the story earlier in December about former Android chief Andy Rubin leading a robotics push at Google.

Boston Dynamics gained Internet fame through YouTube videos of its agile, often gas-powered robots dealing with ice, snow, and other obstacles. It's easy to see why the Defense Department -- specifically the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) -- is interested.

Boston Dynamics has a lot of experience with quadrupedal robots, but more recently, it's developed its bipedal Petman, also funded by DARPA.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57615620-76/google-acquires-boston-dynamics-maker-of-animal-inspired-robots/