New algorithm enables MIT cheetah robot to run and jump, untethered, across grass.
Speed and agility are hallmarks of the cheetah: The big predator is the fastest land animal on Earth, able to accelerate to 60 mph in just a few seconds. As it ramps up to top speed, a cheetah pumps its legs in tandem, bounding until it reaches a full gallop.
Now MIT researchers have developed an algorithm for bounding that they’ve successfully implemented in a robotic cheetah — a sleek, four-legged assemblage of gears, batteries, and electric motors that weighs about as much as its feline counterpart. The team recently took the robot for a test run on MIT’s Killian Court, where it bounded across the grass at a steady clip.
In experiments on an indoor track, the robot sprinted up to 10 mph, even continuing to run after clearing a hurdle. The MIT researchers estimate that the current version of the robot may eventually reach speeds of up to 30 mph.
The key to the bounding algorithm is in programming each of the robot’s legs to exert a certain amount of force in the split second during which it hits the ground, in order to maintain a given speed: In general, the faster the desired speed, the more force must be applied to propel the robot forward. Sangbae Kim, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, hypothesizes that this force-control approach to robotic running is similar, in principle, to the way world-class sprinters race.
“Many sprinters, like Usain Bolt, don’t cycle their legs really fast,” Kim says. “They actually increase their stride length by pushing downward harder and increasing their ground force, so they can fly more while keeping the same frequency.”
Kim says that by adapting a force-based approach, the cheetah-bot is able to handle rougher terrain, such as bounding across a grassy field. In treadmill experiments, the team found that the robot handled slight bumps in its path, maintaining its speed even as it ran over a foam obstacle.
“Most robots are sluggish and heavy, and thus they cannot control force in high-speed situations,” Kim says. “That’s what makes the MIT cheetah so special: You can actually control the force profile for a very short period of time, followed by a hefty impact with the ground, which makes it more stable, agile, and dynamic.”
The Latest on: Running robot
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Running robot” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Running robot
- How many times did Massachusetts’ police robot dog get shot?on March 28, 2024 at 4:10 pm
The Massachusetts State Police robot dog took one for the team this week — well technically, he took three. Roscoe, a Boston Dynamics Spot robodog in use by the police agency, was shot three times ...
- Star-Wars-inspired robot rolls on a round body and uses legs to steeron March 28, 2024 at 11:12 am
Inspired by the wheel-bodied battle droids from Star Wars, a scientist has created a robot that rolls along on one big wheel, using extendable legs to steer. Instead of smashing the Rebel Alliance, ...
- This humanoid robot currently holds the world record for speedon March 28, 2024 at 10:07 am
Unitree has created their first universal humanoid robot. The H1 excels in speed, power, maneuverability and flexibility. Holding the world record for speed at 3.3 m/s the H1 is able to walk and run ...
- I tested Eufy's new S1 Pro robot vacuum - here's who it's perfect foron March 28, 2024 at 9:41 am
The just-released robot vacuum from Anker's smart home brand is full of features, but key factors make it ideal for only some users.
- New AI test measures how fast robots can respond to user commandson March 28, 2024 at 6:01 am
An artificial intelligence group has released a new set of results assessing the speed of hardware in running AI applications. Two new benchmarks measure the speed of AI chips and systems in ...
- Skootr Is the Creepy Tripedal Robot Anyone Can Make for $500, Doesn't Mean You Shouldon March 28, 2024 at 4:27 am
The University of Michigan's Evolution and Motion of Biology and Robotics Lab (EMBiR) developed a tripedal robot supported by a sphere for various applications ...
- Meet the Designer Behind Neuralink’s Surgical Roboton March 28, 2024 at 1:00 am
Afshin Mehin has become the go-to designer for companies working on devices that aim to tap into or modulate the brain. The creative agency he founded, San Francisco–based Card79, has worked with Elon ...
- Understanding humanoid robotson March 27, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Robots made their stage debut the day after New Year’s 1921 ... In fact, that’s the origin of humanoid firm 1X’s name — all of their demos are run in 1X speed. Most in the space agree that disclosure ...
- Video: New AI-powered robots revealedon March 27, 2024 at 1:22 pm
Nvidia recently unveiled its new AI-powered robot project as the technology company continues to shift its focus to artificial intelligence.
- Waymo Runs A Red Light And The Difference Between Humans And Robotson March 26, 2024 at 2:30 am
A serious Waymo incident turned out to be a mistake by a human remote assistance operator. How do the errors of people and robots differ, particularly to the public?
via Bing News