simbot
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Simple robot roams around using just a ball motor
Robots don't have to be overly complex to perform more than basic tasks. Carnegie Mellon University researchers have created SIMbot, a human-sized cylindrical robot that gets around with only one moving part besides the robot itself: the ball at its base. It's a spherical induction motor that uses a combination of magnetic fields and clever math to move in any direction, including turning around in a complete circle. That not only allows for a much simpler (and thus more reliable) robot, but also permits very tall robots that won't easily tip over. You can even push SIMbot and watch it roll back into place.
