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KITECH And POSTECH Korean Quadruped Robots
Quadruped robots are under development by Korean firms KITECH and POSTECH. Watch them strut their robotic stuff in the following short video.
(KITECH and POSTECH quadruped robot video)
POSTECH’s pQ1 (PIRO Quadruped Version 1) is relatively small, just 21 inches tall. KITECH’s larger quadruped robot looks to be at least four feet tall.
Neither of these two robots are as coordinated as Boston Dynamic's BigDog robot. If you haven't seen it, you'll be impressed by BigDog's balance as shown in this video.
(Can Big Dog succeed in an autonomous scramble test?)
SF predictions of quadruped robots abound; here's an early one from the exceptional 1951 short story The Quest for Saint Aquin by Anthony Boucher, who writes about an autonomous robot with articulated legs:
He... took his first opportunity to inspect the robass in full light. He admired the fast-plodding, articulated legs, so necessary since roads had degenerated...Thomas pulled off the skins and contemplated the sleek functional lines of the robass. Smiling, he stowed his minimal gear into its panniers and climbed into the foam saddle. The starlight was bright enough so he could check the necessary coordinates on his map and feed the data into the electronic controls...
(Read more about the robass)
Just for fun, take a look at this highly amusing parody video of the BigDog robot. It's also a pretty good comparison that shows you how advanced BigDog's robotics really are.
Via botropolis.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/9/2009)
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Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
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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.
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