LS3 goes on manoeuvres

US Marines have recently revealed field tests of an LS3 (Legged Squad Support System) at the Kahuku Training Area in Oahu, Hawaii.

Developed by Boston Dynamics, LS3 is a rough-terrain robot designed to carry the load of military personnel on a range of surfaces.

According to the company, each LS3 carries up to 400lbs of equipment and enough fuel for a 20-mile mission lasting 24 hours.

They add that LS3 automatically follows its leader using computer vision, so it does not need a dedicated driver. It also travels to designated locations using terrain sensing and GPS. LS3, which is funded by DARPA and the US Marine Corps, began a two-year field-testing phase in 2012.