To help alleviate physical weight on troops, DARPA developed a four-legged robot, the Legged Squad Support System (LS3), to integrate with squads of Marines or soldiers.
The LS3 program goal was to develop a robot that could go through the same terrain the squad goes through without hindering the squads mission. The robot could also serve as a mobile auxiliary power source to the squad, so troops could recharge batteries for radios and handheld devices while on patrol.
In January 2012, the LS3 prototype completed its first outdoor assessment, demonstrating mobility by climbing and descending a hill and exercising its perception capabilities. A two-year, platform-refinement test cycle began in July 2012, with U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army involvement, culminating in a capstone exercise where LS3 embedded with Marines conducting field exercises.
Redefining Possible
Since 1958, DARPA has been an engine of innovation serving national defense and the U.S. warfighter.