Pretty cool: and if you’re wondering why we never developed them, it’s apparently because the human operator couldn’t handle the strain of thinking like a four-legged critter.
But, you know: fifty years is a long time when it comes to the state of the art in computer technology. It might be worth looking at this thing again.
Maybe not ready for assaulting rebel scum on Hoth, yet, but DARPA is working on a robotic mule: http://tinyurl.com/yra342
That was 3 years ago. I’d be very curious to see how far they gone since.