Robot funded by US military successfully runs 5K

[rangerrebew]

 Robot funded by US military successfully runs 5K

By Gabrielle Fonrouge

August 8, 2021 | 2:26pm | Updated
OSU Bipedal Robot First to Run 5K
 

Students at Oregon State University created a bipedal robot that used machine learning to teach itself how to successfully complete a 5K racecourse, the school announced.

The history-making bot, dubbed Cassie, traversed 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles, of gravel, sidewalk, and fields and completed the course on a single charge in about 53 minutes.

The successful experiment showed the robot can use its two, human-like legs to keep a steady but varied pace across multiple outdoor terrains, paving the way for a future filled with automatons working alongside humans, the school said.

https://nypost.com/2021/08/08/robot-funded-by-us-military-successfully-runs-5k/

[PeteS in CA]

The pics in the article leave me underwhelmed. I'd be interested in how it would do in a trail run along the lines of one of these courses, https://brazenracing.com/trailquake/race-info/#course (note the elevation profile). Besides the "simple" up and down elevation changes, the downhill portion is especially challenging, combining steepness plus exposed tree roots plus exposed smooth rock. Another challenge that would be interesting would be an OCR along the lines of Tough Mudder.