Your regular, inefficient robot legs getting you down? Maybe you should check in with researcher Jonathan Hurst and his robo-leg project under development at Oregon State University. Apparently most jointed legs driven by motors have a tough time recycling energy due to a lack of snapback from proper tendons, but Hurst's work hopes to clear all that noise up. By utilizing a new design powered by steel cable tendons with built-in springs, roboticists want to get closer to the 40 percent retention of energy our fancy human legs get up to. While a student at CMU, Hurst created "Thumper," a single leg attached to a boom that puts his theories in motion, and he's collaborated on bi-pedal models more recently. The hope is to eventually create robots with more natural, animal-like gaits, which will allow them to run towards or chase their human victims and terminate them with a more ruthless intensity. Check the video after the break to see exactly what we mean.
[Via
Medgadget]
posted Sep 10th 2008 8:21AM
Well that's utterly terrifying
Metal Gear Solid 4 anyone?
Until they can make them look like Summer Glau, I'll wait.
@ Blackstar
She's amazing.
Id like to be the first to welcome out new advanced legged robot overlords
News?
uh... isn't this a copy of Boston Dynamics robotic mule leg from way back (2006)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3W8dm5JxFc
It uses some of the same technology. However instead of a 4 legged robot, using this leg tech with two legs and upright actually will be a big deal if it works. Because at that point you can have robots 6 feet tall that can run on a track just about as well as humans. We will see this in 12 years. Trust me ;-)
Totally awesome.
Makes me wonder what happened to poor old Asimo after he fell down the stairs so publicly that time.
sadface.gif
This will go great with Robo Hand! developed by Mythbusters. :P
Just in time for Tom Brady...
Hahhahahah.
LEG: "aaaahghhh whaat aaaam iiiiiiii"
Great faster legs really kinda negates that 120 second head start you get after you knock one of those things on its ass.
Terminator reference +1
ED-209 could have used this
Where is John Connor?!?!?
Not another biped robot! If computer scientist has the Turing Test, I suggest the Hulo Hoop Test for biped robot as the benchmark of human defying agility.
Terminator!
I don't think this is a copy of the Big Dog leg. From my understanding the Big Dog leg uses hydraulic motors at each leg joint (with torque sensors) and only has 1 passive linear spring at what might be considered the calf. Please, if I'm wrong let me know.
LEGBOT FOR PRESIDENT!
Hmm, it's a thing attached to a pole that moves a bit, that's not the same as a leg, any kid can make this in this form, wake me when you got something.
Oh and incidentally, you can see more advanced stuff on construction sites in active use.
I saw this story on hardocp and it made me wonder what comment engadget would have about it. I've got out of the habbit of checking this site every day like I used to but sure enough, three pages in and here's a picture of that robot leg, with a funny comment about how it spells doom for us all down the road. lol! Thanks Engadget!
Excellent!
Lamer posts fade into obscurity, and Robot Leg is there to kick sand in their faces.
Now where's Robot Chicken?