Cybernetic Walker

The Cybernetic Walking Machine was an experimental U.S. Army project designed by General Electric in 1966 and delivered in August 1970. The four-legged vehicle could support up to 500 pounds of cargo over extremely difficult terrain inaccessible to other surface-traveling vehicles. It stood 11 feet tall, moved at 5 mph, could haul a jeep out of a mud hole, climb large obstacles, balance on its diagonal legs, and push 1,000 pounds across a concrete floor. An operator controlled and balanced the legs with hand and foot controls, and the coupling between person and machine was effective enough that the operator could use his own sense of balance to maneuver it accurately and easily. Because it was not very difficult to operate, it became the first successful walking machine capable of random motions, and an operator needed about five hours of practice to move it forward and backward, turn around, and balance on two diagonal legs. Although it seemed promising in theory, it never left the testing phase because it consumed 50 gallons of oil per minute and had to remain connected to hydraulic power lines at all times. Army funding was soon cut, but the walking-machine idea continued in later designs for the logging industry and Hollywood films.

Newport News, Virginia · United States