Over five years ago, U.S. military agency DARPA commissioned engineering company Boston Dynamics to develop all-terrain robots, and its most recent project is AlphaDog. The robot is a successor to the company's outdoor-tested BigDog, but with increased weight capacity and nearly double the endurance. However, it's still a prototype and won't even be ready to leave the lab until sometime next year. Officially called the Legged Squad Support System, or LS3, AlphaDog can carry up to 400 lbs of gear, with enough fuel for missions covering 20 miles over 24 hours. It can automatically follow a leader using computer vision or travel to designated locations using GPS, and can handle a variety of terrain, including rocks, logs, and inclines up to 35 degrees. Amazingly, it's able to keep its balance even when being pushed by two people, and right itself when falling on its side. If AlphaDog (or one of its successors) reaches production, our troops would have some welcome assistance while navigating dangerous terrain, but Boston Dynamics is years away from making that a reality. Still, it's fun to watch while we wait.