Meet Cujo, the U.S. military's oddly endearing new robotic pack mule

Meet Cujo, the U.S. military's oddly endearing new robotic pack mule
(Image credit: CC by: DVIDSHUB)

Over the weekend, the U.S. Marine Corps showed off one of its newest toys, a robotic mule called the Legged Squat Support System, or LS3, at a multinational military exercise in Hawaii. LS3, also called Cujo, can carry up to 400 pounds over rugged terrain without needing to refuel for 20 miles. It also can follow and interact with humans, much like a real pack animal.

LS3 was developed by Boston Dynamics under contract with DARPA, the U.S. military's advanced research arm. It has cost $2 million and five years to create, and is still under development — it is too noisy for combat missions, for example, and can't navigate all terrain yet. But its operators, Marines chosen at random, are impressed.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.