BigDog

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/bigdog

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was BigDog built?2005
2. What is the robot classification?Dynamically stable quadruped military robot platform
3. What is the collaborating institutions?Boston Dynamics and Harvard University Concord Field Station
4. Why did BigDog make a lot of noise?BigDog used a gasoline engine to power its movements, and the engine made a loud roar that could give away its location.
5. How did BigDog keep its balance on rough ground?It used sensors like GPS, a motion sensor, and joint encoders, plus a strong computer that told its legs how to move so it stayed upright even on uneven terrain.

Dynamically Stable: A system that maintains equilibrium through continuous motion and active control adjustments.
Quadruped: An organism or machine that moves using four limbs or legs.
DARPA: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for military applications.
Acoustic Signature: The distinctive sound produced by a particular object or system, which can be used for identification or detection.