Like A Cat, New Robot Lands On Its Feet

eckenheimer writes "Students at the Physics Department at Drury University have developed a robot that uses motions and contortions of its body to orient itself in zero gravity. According to the project site, 'If you've ever seen a cat land on its feet after falling while upside down then you've seen the idea behind our project.' The effort is a proposal for the NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program."

Comments

Re:Cats landing on their feet

[eunos94]

I call bullshit. This study has one HUGE flaw in it. I remember in college when this study was brought up in a statistics class. The flaw can be summed up in one clear thought.

"No one brings a clearly dead cat to the vet."

If the fall is high enough, the odds of living decrease and therefore no cats are brought to the vet unless they miraculously survived. The study self-selects for those cases. Ergo...bad stats. Grrr...the bane of my social sci existence.

Re:doesnt work

[Lord Bitman]

do the math you twit. Perpetual motion is still impossible because toast doesnt care what side it lands on when it's already got fur all over it.