Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Running Robot

Check out this robotic quadruped which can run and jump.  It's pretty cool.  Legs are more versatile than wheels for traversing uneven terrain and surmounting obstacles.  So this is a fascinating advance.

Although billed as a robotic cheetah, it lacks the characteristic flexible spine which creates the cheetah's famous speed.  I'm thinking more mechanical hound.  This isn't just a random quibble, by the way, it's science in action.  I know how  a cheetah generates so much speed -- that spine acts like a spring -- and I can apply that knowledge to other contexts.  So I knew to look at the spine of the robot.  Now if I were into competition robotics, this would inspire me to experiment with springy-spined robots to see if I could really make a robotic cheetah.  And maybe I'd try to stick a gyroscope in one too, because a cheetah's cornering agility is also a masterful thing, whereas vertical robots have this annoying tendency to wipeout on turns.  (I am impressed by the above robot's ability to stay upright.)  Since I'm not skilled at building robots, I'm putting these ideas online for the amusement of anyone who is.

Just, y'know, don't use it to make mechanical hounds for hunting bookworms.  In this society I feel a need to make that warning.
Tags: news, science, wildlife
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  • 3 comments
siliconshaman

siliconshaman

September 16 2014, 21:23:12 UTC 6 years ago

Not a gyroscope, your hypothetical robotic cheetah would need a tail. The Cheetah rotates it's tail to create counter-balancing torque to it's turn... but yes, the first thing would be some sort of flexible springy spine with hydraulic or pneumatic actuators.
ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

September 16 2014, 21:28:27 UTC 6 years ago

Someone else pointed out the use of a cheetah's tail too, so that has potential.
siliconshaman

Re: Yes...

siliconshaman

September 16 2014, 21:36:38 UTC 6 years ago

Besides, it'd look way cool...