Darpa's robotic mule gains voice control

If robots are ever really going to carry the bags of US soldiers and Marines, the Pentagon's futurists think, they're going to have to act more like pack animals. That means responding to voice commands, figuring out when it makes sense to follow a human being and when it doesn't, and getting around uneven terrain and other obstacles. Darpa thinks it's off to a good start. (Read more)