US Army’s much-touted robot dogs might not arrive for a decade or more

WASHINGTON — They’ve walked the hallways at defense conferences, but a robot version of man’s best friend may not come to the Army anytime soon.

Two U.S.-based robotics companies, Boston Dynamics and Ghost Robotics, produce quadruped unmanned ground vehicles, or robot dogs. At last year’s Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference, Ghost Robotics unveiled an armed version of the “dog,” equipped with a 6.5mm Creedmoor assault rifle, as part of a partnership with Sword International.

The technology, which typically costs $50,000 to $150,000 depending on the company and model, requires further development before it can head to the battlefield, according to officials with the Army’s robotics program.

“These legged platforms have some promises which we’ve identified, primarily from a mobility standpoint,” Milot Resyli, the branch chief for dismounted robotic systems at the Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center, told C4ISRNET. “There are limitations to them as…