Toyota's humanoid robot was born to run
By Laura June 
posted Jul 31st 2009 10:46AM
posted Jul 31st 2009 10:46AM
We essentially can't get enough of advanced robots doing things that look human -- probably in the same way we can't get enough of pretending our dog understands English. Anthropomorphism aside, Toyota's humanoid running robot is really impressive. It's got a super impressive sense of balance, and he's quite fast on his feet -- running at an average of 7 km an hour (yes, that's faster than ASIMO can run), too. We can say with 100 percent certainty that we'd like to hang out with this guy -- check out the video after the break.
It's more like speedwalking, but still very cool.
D
One foot always has to be on the ground for speedwalking. Don't you remember when Hal was into speedwalking?
@Name:
Upon reviewing the slo-mo video (similar to Hal's a-ha moment in the show), I see that both feet are off the ground.
So he's technically running, but just barely so. A few milliseconds.
Impressive!
most impressive
So in the future Robots will sound like goosestepping Nazi's when they run.
runs like a girl!
Even if it wears slippers.
It runs like a robotic Dr. Hackenbush. Just put on a little greasepaint and stuff a cigar in it's mouth.
Sure, impressive, at almost 4.5 mph, these things move faster than most humans. I'm gonna stop by the sports store and pick up my sneakers and start prepping this weekend to outrun our new enslavers, for as long as I can, that is.....
I want 20 of these running through the forest - and a paintball gun...
lol runs like something is stuck up its ass...
i have a feeling i will be regretting this post 30 years in the future, with a young robot with a gun to my face saying this is for my grandpa. Gulps O_O
Interesting gait that robot has.
I also find it funny that someone names 'Honda' works for Toyota.
I call it Tiltmaster.
It would be less funny if you knew anything about Japanese names. Pretty common last name.
It's still funny.
someone in a robot suit. clever hhhhwapanese.
Amazing!
Pretty soon it will be able to outrun a human. Our doom is imminent!
Pretty much. Throw some glowing red eyes and some more speed behind that thing and we're dealing with a living nightmare.
Don't you mean a non-living nightmare?
Uhm, no?
it doesn't need to outrun you. it just needs to be able to not get as tired as you do. doesn't need sleep, water, rest, etc. just some serious energy density storage system and skin made of bullet-proof solar panels.
umm yes? outrnunng doesn't have to be by a humanoid. an autonomous car (old news) can 'outrun' a human. jokes aside bipedalism is not a good trait (as far as efficiency) so isn't it a waste resources to develop human-like robot?
have you seen some of the humans in the US? I'm sure it can outrun them already.
I'd like to see this guy in a less controlled environment; how'd it do with terrain imperfections?
It wouldn't.
It would first level the track with it's freakin eye lasers.
I, for one, welcome our jogging overlords!
I, for one, welcome our Robot Olympics overlords.
The balance testing and its gait reminds me a lot of that Big Dog robot the military is/was building. Of course, leave it to Japan to take amazing technology and make it adorable.
They are always pushing robots around. revolt!
deathmatch!!!!!!!!
I wonder if someone gave it a good shove, and it fell down, would it spin around the floor like Curly?
nyuk nyuk nyuk
I know robot invasion jokes here are said here lot. But in all seriousness I kinda got a bit horrified as it was running in the direction of the camera. Think of an army of these things chasing you en masse.
Then my child-brain goes into video game territory by imagining mowing them all down with a shotgun or chain gun.
Hit him in the face with a rocket as he runs to you and the top half will be blown to bits while the legs run past you.
run robot Forest, run!
Did they have to make the eyes all Charlotte's Web like?
I'm going to invent a killer robot that only kills people who are worried that they might get killed by a robot.
I say we kick it Boston Dynamic Big Dog style.
The End is Nigh
The Cylons have learned how to run
I won't be impressed until it can play the piano.
Well it play's the Trumpet and the violin isn't that good enough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhWDJ7DZYu4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ydjrD_U2Q
Actually, Japan did make a piano playing robot years ago. It would actually read a score and press the keys like any human pianist would do.
funny way of running lol =)
Run LolaBOT Run !!
baby we were born to run!!!! (Guess who)
In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream
Will Smith saw this coming.
the sounds and mannerisms of it's running really reminds me of the mechs in the MechWarrior series
Switch hands to a chainsaw and a minigun and it's WIN
No wonder robots come to kill us in the future, pushing them like that has to make them angry.
I'm convinced the robot uprising will be triggered by all these videos of people trying to knock over robots while they are trying to balance themselves.
7 kilometers per hour = 4.3495983 miles per hour
10 mph = 16.09344 kph
As someone who runs 10mph (16kph) almost everyday I have to say that 4.35mph (7kph) is more like a power walk then a run. I don't think I could even run that slow, it's an awkward speed to run at. Not to mention the robot has absolutely no heel-toe contact, the knees are too bent, and there is almost no stride at all. Someone in the robotics lab needs to get out more often. ;P
*than*
That's pretty cool. Doesn't seem as advanced as Boston Dynamic's Big Dog but that thing was on four legs and ran on DIESEL POWER.
Still. I don't knock advancements. In 30 years we will be running with or away from these running, swimming, rolling, crawling, and flying machines. Get your cybernetic arms ready...
ROBOT APOCALYPSE! YEAAAAH!
Coming to a suburb near you in 2039!
i love robot production, hope i can see one like this on general sale in my lifetime.
I would have laughed if that robot pushed the lady back.
Yes, cool and all, but when will robots have straight legs? This semi-crouch of them is weird...
Someone get that robot a BOTorade... : ] ....no?.....i tried
I'd be quite scared if that thing was chasing me down the street!
you're not being imaginative enough. When the technology matures, you'll be able to tailor make your robo girlfriend.
Who runs after me?! D:
Yeah. You can buy an army of babes (because Japan will figure out how to make them cheap) that will run after you just like the screaming girls that ran after the Beatles. You'll have your own fan base. :)
All this has happened before, and all this will happen again.
Because of Poincare Recurrence Theorem?
Oh great. Once Obama has us all disarmed he will have Terminators to enlist to do his bidding.
We're all indeed Doom-ed!
ASIMO is a piece of crap. Took like 20 years before it stopped falling over. FAIL
That pushing thing reminded me of big dog for some reason
maybe its because they are both robots that run? just a guess
I was anticipating a punch from the robot as the woman pushed it few times.
Look at him, he runs like a Welshman. Doesn't he? Doesn't he run like a Welshman?
if you played this to a blind person they would say they are hearing a vid of a washing machine. im 100% positive.
If you showed it to a blind person, they would punch you in the face for saying "Hey, watch this!"
When she kept shoving him, I expected the robot to punch her in the stomach.
it doesn't quite run like a human. if it leaned forward it would be more efficient and faster. that looked like a fast march.
Imagine it with a laser guided gun.
The black man will soon be obsolete.
When they perfect all these robots and send as an army them against America, we'll look pretty pathetic with our remote-controlled waldos-with-treads, human-piloted vehicles, and fleshy soldiers.
Why isn't America trying to match the east in robot designs? Why are all our "robots" essentially just waldos?
I'd hang out with it if it didn't squeek so much.
One part creepy. One part cool. All Fantastic. We are all doomed at this rate. :-)
I wish someone would pay me to shove robots. I have a lot of experience shoving hominids around