Robot Balances on a Single Spherical Wheel

dalangalma writes "Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have developed a new kind of robot called the Ballbot that balances on a steel ball. Using a mechanism similar to a ball mouse, the Ballbot uses rollers to drive its single, spherical wheel and balance in place or glide around the room. The promise of such dynamically stable robots is that they can be much taller without having to have a wide base, making them much more suitable for working with humans. They are also much more agile, since they can be pushed out of the way easily without falling over. You can read the press release or check out the project's web page when it recovers from traffic."

Comments

Note to guy in red shirt who works on robots

[TheModelEskimo]

Clip your fingernails, man!

http://www.msl.ri.cmu.edu/projects/ballbot/images/ CMU_BallbotOffice.jpg

How does this thing turn in place?

[mad_minstrel]

While this certainly is impressive, there is at least one problem I see: How is this thing going to turn in place? It doesn't need to do that to move, but it will have to if it needs to, say, pick up an object. Especially on a flat, hard surface, like a wooden floor, where there's virtually no friction between the floor and the ball. One solution is that it could throw a weight around, but that's hardly gracefull. Also I wonder if it could overcome a simple doorstep, or curb.

Re:GNAA unveils "New for Jew Thousand and Six" pro

[Jerk City Troll]

Thank you for the advice! I will think of something else to link to then, perhaps the GNAA website? Anti-Slash? I am open to suggestions! Also, how can you say that GNAA is never funny? I know I laugh out loud almost every time I see one of these things pop up. Remember, humor is very subjective.