Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
RunBot Learns To Walk At Human Speed
RunBot, a biomechatronic pair of legs that can walk at 3.5 leg-lengths per second, has now achieved human walking speed. RunBot is different from those other biped bots, who walk like your great-grandfather. RunBot's mechanical structure is directly driven by motor-neurons of its neuronal controller, which is analogous to what happens in human and animals' walking.
(RunBot)
Here's the technical scoop on RunBot:
It is 23 cm tall, foot to hip joint axis. Each leg consists of two degrees of freedom: hip and knee joints. Each hip joint is driven by a modified RC servo motor producing a torque up to 5.5 kg.cm while the motor of each knee joint produces a smaller torque (3 kg.cm) but has fast rotating speed with 21 rad/s. The built-in servo control circuits of the motors are disconnected while the built-in potentiometer is used to measure the joint angles. A mechanical stopper is implemented on each knee joint to prevent it from going into hyperextention similar to human kneecaps.Runbot has no actuated ankle joints resulting in very light feet and being efficient for fast walking. Its feet were designed having a circular form 4.5 cm long similar to passive biped robots. Each foot is equipped with a switch sensor to detect ground contact. This mechanical design of Runbot has some special features, e.g. small curved feet and a properly positioned center of mass that allow the robot to perform natural dynamic walking during some stage of its gait cycles.
In addition, the active upper body component is implemented on the top of its hip joints for balance in walking on different terrains, e.g. up and down slopes.
When RunBot encounters a slope, the higher level functions of the robot are used.
Professor Woergoetter, of the University of Gottingen, in Germany, said: "When Runbot first encounters a slope these low level control circuits 'believe' they can continue to walk up the slope without having to change anything.Professor Woergoetter's goal with RunBot is simple: walk like a person, and not like a clunky movie robot. And it really works; check out the video of RunBot shown below."But this is misguided and as a consequence the machine falls backwards. This triggers the other sensors and the highest loop we have built into Runbot - the learning circuitry - and from that experience of falling the machine knows that something needs to be changed."
Via LiveScience; see also the RunBot Fast Dynamic Walking Robot website. Thanks also to Zac for suggesting this story.
(RunBot walks on)
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 7/12/2007)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
Drones In Vast Airborne Grids
'These pods were programmed to hang in space in a hexagonal grid pattern...'
Robot Hand Separate From Robot
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...' - Philip K. Dick, 1955.
Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated?
'I went to the control room where the three other men were manipulating their mechanical men.' - AG Stangland, 1929.
Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way
'The automatic massager began to fumble gently...' - AE van Vogt, 1944.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Miss Alabama Beauty Contest Offers Different Standards
'...they moved with the ease of dandelion puffs.'
Has Musk Given Up On Full Self Driving (FSD)?
'...some bored drone pusher in a remote driving centre...'
Prufrock-3 'The Monster' Ready To Launch
Just go for it.
Drones In Vast Airborne Grids
'These pods were programmed to hang in space in a hexagonal grid pattern...'
Starship Special Edition For Lunar Shuttle
Love those special edition spaceships.
Capturing Asteroids With Nets
'...the meteor caught and halted just as a small boy catches a swift ball in his cap.'
Project Hyperion - Generation Ship Designers Needed!
'We have decided that it shall be but one ship... it must contain everything needed to take us through the generations.'
AI Welfare Position At Anthropic Filled By Human
'You’re the robopsychologist of the plant, so you’re to study the robot itself...'
Marslink Proposed By SpaceX
'It was the heart of the Solar System's communication line...'
Simple Way To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'... designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Wood-Panelled LignoSat Launched
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'
Laser-Beam Welding In Orbital Factories
'His contract with Space Industries required him to work summers in their orbital factory.'
'Iceberg House' Of Travis Kelce Reflects Science Fiction Of Past Century
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock that folded up to underlie the ridge...'
Mechazilla Arms Catch A Falling Starship, But Check Out SF Landing-ARMS
'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'
A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
Robot Hand Separate From Robot
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...'
