Innovation of the week: A robotic mule

last updated 10 January 2015

At a recent military event, the U.S. Marine Corps showed off its new "robotic mule" — officially called the Legged Squat Support System (LS3) but nicknamed Cujo — that is "capable of carrying up to 400 pounds of cargo for 20 miles without refueling," said Jack Linshi at Time. The machine, which has been under development since 2007 and cost $2 million, can even "traverse rocky terrain with its lifelike gallop." Cujo does, however, "make loud noises while moving," which limits its usefulness to resupply missions and cargo movement, not tactical operations.