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Distance Record Broken For a Walking Robot

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the more-laps-than-i-could-run dept.

Narrative Fallacy writes "The Cornell Ranger robot has set an unofficial world distance record by walking nonstop for 45 laps — a little over 9 kilometers — around the Barton Hall running track in an event to to show off the machine's energy efficiency. Unlike other walking robots that use motors to control every movement, the Ranger emulates human walking, using gravity to help swing its legs forward. The Robot alternately swings two outside legs forward and then two inside ones and although the robot has no knees, it has feet that can be tipped up and down, so that the robot pushes off with its toes, then tilts its feet upward to land on the heels as it brings its legs forward. The Robot is steered by a hobby remote control which biases the steering to one side or another by lifting one of the four feet slightly. 'We've just moved into this world of electromechanical devices, and to make something this robust is a big achievement,' said Andy Ruina, Cornell professor of theoretical and applied mechanics. 'We've learned tons about what it takes to make walking work.'"

65 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. DYI with Tinkertoys by jwgoerlich · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Excellent achievement.

    Of course, this is just the latest of Cornell's long standing reseach into passive dynamic walking. If anyone wants to build something like it yourself, hit the wayback machine to 1998.

    It might wobble and stagger, but Cornell's headless robot is providing insights into how humans walk

    J Wolfgang Goerlich

  2. Is it just me.. by kirbysuperstar · · Score: 1

    Or does it look like a barbeque?

  3. 9 km? by ozamosi · · Score: 4, Funny

    If one of these would become sentient and try to kill me, I should still be able to out-walk it, then. I just hope they don't make any better models :(

    1. Re:9 km? by Digestromath · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I think the true test of robotic engineering will be a robot that can run, swim and climb a rope ladder. It's only a matter of time till those challenges will be solved. Then... they reboot the human race.

    2. Re:9 km? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Black people can do all those things, but were still kept slaves for hundreds of years.

    3. Re:9 km? by Dekker3D · · Score: 1

      someone mod this guy up instead of down.. he's right, ya know? it may not be nice to think about, but it's true.

    4. Re:9 km? by Atario · · Score: 1

      That's because slaves, unlike the robots, were cursed with the human psychology that allowed them to succumb to what we call "a broken spirit".

      Come to think of it, if you were to invent a robot that could get a broken spirit, I bet you'd win some kind of major Mad Scientist award.

      --
      "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
  4. Obligatory by OMNIpotusCOM · · Score: 2

    I, for one, welcome our record distance walking robots overlords.

    1. Re:Obligatory by Dekker3D · · Score: 1

      i, for one, will form a resistance against them. armed with heavy, iron-studded boots to kick them over :D

    2. Re:Obligatory by OMNIpotusCOM · · Score: 1

      I, for one, wel-... wait... fuck, I already did this joke in this story. Same title too. You should have welcomed our "wobbly and prone to falling-over walking robot overlords," as that's what I wish I had done.

  5. Wouldn't a video be nice? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZL7WJjNvzk

    Oh, and what happened to the forms where I used to be able to sign in while making a comment? I can't anymore? Screw it.

    1. Re:Wouldn't a video be nice? by snl2587 · · Score: 1

      Most...boring...video...ever...

    2. Re:Wouldn't a video be nice? by Oktober+Sunset · · Score: 1

      I'd love to kick that fucker like they did to Big Dog.

      I don't think it would take it very well.

      --
      What if Tetris was invented by Nazis?
  6. Re:Oh, how I tire by slimjim8094 · · Score: 1

    uh.... wrong article perhaps?

    --
    I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
  7. This is very interesting by slimjim8094 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Lots of people don't realize the inherent instability of walking. It's basically controlled/broken falling. You lift up your foot to move it and shift your center of gravity in front of your stationary foot, and start to fall forward. But your other foot comes down and stops your fall.

    Running is actually an easier movement to emulate, interestingly.

    This robot, and all other bipedal robots, isn't really useful. It's a horrible way to move - especially if you have wheels. But it's interesting to be able to see the dynamics of how humans walk, which might help us make better prosthetics and the like.

    --
    I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
    1. Re:This is very interesting by PolarBearFire · · Score: 1

      "This robot, and all other bipedal robots, isn't really useful. " On the contrary, bipedal motion is very efficient in terms of energy use and can work on some terrains that wheels can't. Human bipedal motion allowed us to move the long distance between our house and suv, and operate the pedals to drive the 1/4 mile to our nearest convenience store.

    2. Re:This is very interesting by slimjim8094 · · Score: 1

      I'm going to ignore the second half of your comment.

      Why do you say that bipedalism is more efficient? For a completely all-purpose robot (personal assistant?) that needs to scale mountains... I might be able to get behind that.

      But most robots are confined to specific environments, where some type of wheel would be more efficient and stable.

      --
      I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
    3. Re:This is very interesting by icegreentea · · Score: 1

      Stairs.

    4. Re:This is very interesting by Oktober+Sunset · · Score: 4, Insightful

      But humans aren't actually bipedal when they climb mountains. When on a really steep slope you need to use your hands.


      Wheels are way more efficient than legs on flat surfaces, which is why bikes exist. legs are great for lumpy surfaces, but they need to be proper legs, like on Big Dog, not the stupid sticks on this thing. I think people need to distinguish between 'real' walking robots that can wlak over anything and stupid wobble-bots like this that can only shuffle along on smooth surfaces. Take this fucker out onto a grass track outside, and then lets see how efficient it is.

      --
      What if Tetris was invented by Nazis?
    5. Re:This is very interesting by Falkkin · · Score: 1

      With the exception of multi-story homes, most places you'd want a personal robot to go are handicap-accessible. Just make a robot use ramps and elevators instead of stairs.

    6. Re:This is very interesting by PolarBearFire · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Feel free to ignore the second part. The success of bipedalism is evident in humans, four legged animals are obviously faster so human hunters can't compete in that way. But bipedal humans are able to maintain consistent speed for a long periods of time while quadrupeds are only able to maintain their high speeds for short bursts. Essentially humans are able to chase down animals and use their weapons on them. Wheels are great and efficient on flat and level surfaces, but I mountain bike and I can tell you that any incline or rough surfaces increases energy use substantially. Say you're standing on a pothole, on a wheeled vehicle you would need to generate enough force to lift the whole contraption in one go to get out of it. With a bipedal unit, all you need to do is shift your weight to one leg and generate enough force to lift the other and continue.

    7. Re:This is very interesting by pintpusher · · Score: 1

      I hate to point this out, but if you're standing in a pot-hole, you are lower than you'd be standing on the road around it. While it's true you only have to shift your weight to the foot outside the pothole, unless you plan to spend the rest of the day walking with your knees bent, you're going to have to raise that weight at some point. I suppose you could defer that weight raising until you find a downward slope and allow your legs to transition down while your body stays at the same level, but that's really only good for physical comedy bits...

      --
      man, I feel like mold.
    8. Re:This is very interesting by junglee_iitk · · Score: 1

      Actually, bipedal movement like this, which involves gravity, is more efficient energy wise. Bipedal movement by itself (read motor driven) is not efficient. I think that's what GP meant. For example, imagine a robot with very little energy to move, on Mars, "walking away from the trouble" ...

      And when you use wheels, you cannot effectively use gravity, since they are inherently symmetric.

      What I would like to see now, is that after gaining a little moment, the robot replaces the "feet" with a wheel, effectively making it a skateboarder. That would be awesome!

  8. Quite an achievement, yet... by timeOday · · Score: 1
    First, I think it's cool they're working on this. Too often laboratory technology only works well enough to make a cool 10 second video clip, and 5.6 miles is substantially longer than that. As research, I do think this could help shed light on how animals and people walk as well as we do.

    But for applications, if we compare this to wheeled vehicles, well, the DARPA Grand Challenge Robots when 130 miles on dirt roads. And they're based on commercial automobiles, which (amazingly) can often rack up 100,000 miles with nothing but more gasoline. (Though I'd recommend changing the oil once in a while).

    Then there's aircraft, which can circumnavigate the entire globe on a single tank of gas. Or spacecraft; anybody care to tabulate the mileage accumulated by a LEO satellite over its lifetime?

    So this raises the question of whether walking will ever be the best way for any practical robot to move?

    1. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Depends on the purpose of the robot I guess. When I'm old I neither want a Hummer-sized robot nor something flying with Mach 2 to assist me.

    2. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by Dekker3D · · Score: 1

      a while ago, /. featured an article on a robot dog made to carry luggage for infantry.. through dense forests and rough terrain. where no wheeled vehicle could move and no chopper could land. it's also probably more efficient to have a walker along, as opposed to having to find a landing spot for a helicopter, asking for one to drop off some gear, pick it up in the morning and fly back with it again.

      legged robots would do extremely well in natural terrain and inside buildings, compared to any other form of locomotion other than snake-like robots. and those don't make great packbeasts.. so yeah, there's a use for this kind of research :)

    3. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by Oktober+Sunset · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I can beat that, I got a Vehicle that can go for miles, it runs on biofuel, that (if available) it can locate and gather itself whenever it stops, and it never needs parts and can repair minor damage itself. It is self guiding once familiarised with the route and automaticly follows roads, it automaticly detects dangerous terrain and will automaticly retreat from attackers. It can achive both reasonably fast speeds on the flat and navigate over rough and muddy terrain. It is fully recyclable and it is relatively easy to manufacture new ones from 2 existing models. It can carry up to 2 passengers and luggage, or can carry a larger amount of luggage. It can also pull another vehicle behind it and it can also work in a team to pull large vehicles. It's only drawback is it needs a human to guide it on any Journeys.

      It's called a Horse.

      You can also get other great vehicles in the 'Animals' range, there's a specialised desert vehicle, (Camel), off road luggage and passenger carrier (Donkey and Mule), and a compact highly adaptable model adaptable for combat, intruder detection, search and rescue, headspace analysis, and home entertainment (Dog).

      --
      What if Tetris was invented by Nazis?
    4. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by westlake · · Score: 3, Insightful
      It's called a Horse.

      Anyone who has ever worked around a stable will tell you that a horse is not a low maintenance vehicle.

    5. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by westlake · · Score: 2, Informative
      neither is the horse a long range or endurance vehicle.

      the horse maxes out at 25 miles a day.

      the Pony Express rider changed horses every 10 to 15 miles - an insanely expensive proposition even in the 1850s.

    6. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by hot+soldering+iron · · Score: 1

      I think the "best way" for locomotion for a bot is determined by the purpose for which it is designed. A remote-piloted drone will naturally be some kind of aircraft, balloon-craft, whatever... A droid designed to work with humans would naturally be best if designed to mimic humans. So there are some very credible use-case scenarios for this research.

      --
      When you want something built, come see me. If you want correct grammar and spelling, get a F*ing liberal arts student.
    7. Re:Quite an achievement, yet... by VikingBerserker · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's called a Horse.

      Anyone who has ever worked around a stable will tell you that a horse is not a low maintenance vehicle.

      Tell me about it. Finding replacement parts for a '92 Clydesdale is damn near impossible.
  9. Disappointing by DarkIye · · Score: 1

    I click on the link expecting to see some sort of humanoid killing machine, but instead I'm greeted with a stereo with legs stolen from a shopping trolley? Oh, ha ha ha, how funny, you put little eyes on it.

    Also, I thought web pages like that disappeared when they outlawed FrontPage. Oh, right.

    --
    To prevent this day from getting worse, I'll just read ERROR as GOOD TH
  10. Obligatory by Jutranjo · · Score: 1

    I, for one, welcome our new nonstop walking robot overlords.

  11. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by MadnessASAP · · Score: 1

    WTF?

    --
    I may agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to face the consequences of saying it.
  12. Controlling robots with law by Benjamin_Wright · · Score: 1

    Soon many types of robots will be walking, rolling and flying around us. They will collect information about us and do other things that affect our privacy, our safety and our commercial relationships. Although legislatures will probably enact a raft of laws to regulate them, an abundance of civil law already exists to regulate their behavior. For example, as we humans come in contact with robots, we can form contracts with their owners to limit what they can do or set the rules for interaction.

    --
    Benjamin Wright, Dallas, Texas, benjaminwright.us
    1. Re:Controlling robots with law by argent · · Score: 2, Funny

      Good luck with that.

      Can't even keep Google Vans out of our driveways.

    2. Re:Controlling robots with law by pnewhook · · Score: 1

      Geez.. I was wondering how is was going to be until some crackpot started complaining about supposed privacy infringement.

      --
      Tesla was a genius. Edison however was a overrated hack who liked to torture puppies.
  13. Oh, wonderful by damburger · · Score: 1

    Not only are the machines hell-bent on killing us but now they can chase us down for 9km without a break.

    Anyone know where I can buy EMP bombs?

    --
    If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we shoot people for Apollo-related non-sequiturs?
    1. Re:Oh, wonderful by Dekker3D · · Score: 1

      nah. use sharks with fricking lazors attached to their fricking heads!

  14. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by Vectronic · · Score: 1

    Much like "Madness As Soon As Possible"... WTF, is the appropriate response...

    This is exactly what they intend, and they are relying on people like you to let it happen (if there was no sarcasm to your statement)...

    "Oh, it'l be great, the robots will do all the work, we can just sit in our ass and bang our drums all day"

    I admit that robotic workers have their place, such as assembly plants... Point A, to Point B... fine... but there is no reason for them to look like humans, or do human jobs... besides, if the robot looks, acts, and does exactly what you do... why the hell do we need you?... you will die eventually, the robot can be maintained, and theoretically live forever... hey wait a second here... why do we need humans at all? since Revision 5.6 we can now maintain ourselves, thanx to the Robotic Constitution, and the Coalition For The Preservation of Robot Life...

  15. How many laps must a robot walk down... by lrbays · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...before you call him an overlord?

  16. I want to see a Convincing Bipedal Walk by MrSteveSD · · Score: 1

    ...in a human-size robot. We've already seen the amazing Big Dog from Boston Dynamics. How long before we see a human-sized bipedal robot that walks in a fairly human way? This record breaking walking robot just doesn't have the "ooo" factor that Big Dog has.

    1. Re:I want to see a Convincing Bipedal Walk by Beezlebub33 · · Score: 1

      Try this:

      http://www.anybot.com/

      Look for the videos of Dexter. Yes, they have it in a harness, because it would really, really suck if it fell down and broke, but it's really walking.

      --
      The more people I meet, the better I like my dog.
  17. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by Missing_dc · · Score: 2, Funny

    After looking at the website and the repetitive color scheme, I understand his "sa-shay-ing" into his office.

    I think it would be more efficient and less amusing to coworkers if I simply walked into my office.

    --
    How amazed would you be to suddenly find that you just forgot what I wrote and you needed to reread my post.... again.
  18. Different walking robot by ilyag · · Score: 1

    Here's a video of a different walking robot, BigDog. It seems alive - it can be kicked, walks on ice (where it stumbles
    just like an animal), jumps, etc.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww

    It's scary to imagine the thing with a turret on its head, though.

  19. privacy, robots and technology by Benjamin_Wright · · Score: 1

    Robots are information systems. Information systems raise privacy issues.

    --
    Benjamin Wright, Dallas, Texas, benjaminwright.us
    1. Re:privacy, robots and technology by pnewhook · · Score: 1

      This is up there with the people who complain red light traffic cameras are an infringement of privacy (privacy to do what? break the law?).

      A robot if programmed would do a comparable amount of work to a person. Same as a camera system designed to watch people who blow through red lights. If it's legal for a person to do it then it should be legal for a machine. If the machine is doing something that would be illegal if it were a person then yes, obviously that should also be illegal.

      --
      Tesla was a genius. Edison however was a overrated hack who liked to torture puppies.
  20. 45 by denzacar · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Apparently, there is a SLIGHT difference from the "answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything" and "The Ultimate Question".
    Probably because they have used robots instead of humans.
    But nice to see that there is still some progress.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  21. So what made it stop? by fastest+fascist · · Score: 1

    I assume it stopped because the people controlling the robot decided they had proven their point? I mean, it seems unlikely it would walk contently along for 9 kilometres and then fall apart. Which makes me wonder if there's much point in having a record for distance walked, unless there are constraints, like a maximium amount of energy usage allowed. If not, then the robot whose operators have the most patience will walk the furthest.

  22. War of the Worlds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Is anyone else reminded of the description of the giant walking robots from H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds?

  23. Robot Spiders by Detritus · · Score: 1

    I'd like to see some robotic spiders, like in the movie "Runaway" with Tom Selleck. How small can you make a power source that would allow them to be useful? Batteries aren't very efficient for their mass and volume.

    --
    Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
  24. Re:I, for one... by joaommp · · Score: 1

    "oh, they're making a left turn!"

    --
    Onda Technology Institute
  25. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by posys · · Score: 1
    Actually Vectronic you make some great points about not needing robots to look like us, that was just to make a point that we need to transition to a ROBOTIC WAGELESS ECONOMY and FAST !!, but seriously, your view of the master of the universe is far more dismal than it should be, wouldnt you agree ?

    Why do you think it has to end up "bad" ?

    Do you really enjoy laboring at things Robots could do for you ?

    Please re-read this site in it entirety several times until you "get it", thanks, be well...

    http://RoboEco.com/walking

    --
    The Future is already here, just unevenly distributed... THE ROBOTIC WAGELESS ECONOMY NOW! http://RoboEco.com/slash
  26. Obligatory Laurie Anderson by bmo · · Score: 1

    I wanted you.
    And I was looking for you.
    But I couldn't find you.
    I wanted you.
    And I was looking for you all day.
    But I couldn't find you.
    I couldn't find you.
    You're walking.
    And you don't always realize it, but you're always falling.
    With each step you fall forward slightly.
    And then catch yourself from falling.
    Over and over, you're falling.
    And then catching yourself from falling.
    And this is how you can be walking and falling at the same time.

  27. Excellent! Bravo by FireAtWill · · Score: 1

    I, for one, welcome our new robotic overlord from the Ministry of Silly Walks.

  28. That's not a robot by dangitman · · Score: 1

    It's a remote-controlled vehicle, not a robot.

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  29. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by poopdeville · · Score: 1

    I agree with you completely, and have been saying this for years now. Robotics technology is not yet up to par, but there's a surefire way to fix it (and solve the energy crunch massive use of robotics would create). Nuclear power. Lots of it. Safe, clean, efficient plants all over the country. We can sell surplus energy to the rest of the continent. We can use the proceeds to fund education and R&D.

    Food production should be next to be mechanized. With no workers or capitalists being exploited, there should be absolutely no moral objections to providing the country all the food it needs, for free. You can, however, expect resistance from both.

    This process can and should continue until it is done.

    The biggest problem with this idea is that there's no money to be made. It is, essentially, the creation of a new public good, and as such can only really be performed by the government.

    --
    After all, I am strangely colored.
  30. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by posys · · Score: 1
    Vectroninc, just who is the "THEY" ?

    And yes, as Todd Rundgred would like to Bang on the Drum all Day, I would like to do that and whatever the hell else that does not hurt anyone else please.

    Be well friend.

    --
    The Future is already here, just unevenly distributed... THE ROBOTIC WAGELESS ECONOMY NOW! http://RoboEco.com/slash
  31. A _really_ energy-efficient robot would... by SAABMaven · · Score: 1

    ...drive a Pickup SUV 45 laps around a parking lot (fending off shopping carts with its Rhino Bars), in order to find a very close parking space. So it would hardly have to walk, ever. ;)

  32. Privacy law and records by Benjamin_Wright · · Score: 1

    Under the law of privacy, there is a big difference between a human memory and a "record". Under privacy law, the formation of a human memory (about personally identifiable info such as a person's name or medical condition) is subject to much less regulation than is the creation and storage of a "record". Humans store memories; machines and robots store "records". Privacy law will regulate robots (and red light cameras) very differently from people. Generally, robots will be regulated much more strictly (if present trends in privacy law continue).--Ben

    --
    Benjamin Wright, Dallas, Texas, benjaminwright.us
    1. Re:Privacy law and records by pnewhook · · Score: 1

      Understood. However if I was dragged into court on an offense, I'd much rather have absolute record of what happened versus some guy just telling the court what I did based on his possibly faulty memory.

      For example, I firmly believe black boxes in cars are a very good thing. If I'm cut off on a highway and it's my word versus his for the accident, I want a technological record of what both cars were doing before the accident to prove what really happened.

      I would even support this being expanded into video recording on cars. I was recently sideswiped into the guardrail by a car that never stopped. Because they never found out the identity of the other driver, the insurance company called it a 'single vehicle accident' and upped my rates. If my vehicle had a black box and video record, presumably they could have used that to back up my claim and track down the other driver.

      I agree that this kind of technology should be watched for potential privacy abuse, and regulated when deemed necessary. However I can see a lot more benefit than harm, and the potential for privacy abouse should not prevent the technology from being developed and deployed.

      --
      Tesla was a genius. Edison however was a overrated hack who liked to torture puppies.
  33. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by PingPongBoy · · Score: 1

    Just imagine when one can WALK, no, sa-shay, into your cube as YOU, for you...

    So start a consulting business by training homeless people to do your profession.

    As robots redefine work, who will be the homeless?

    --
    Know your pads. One time pad: good for cryptography. Two timing pad: where to take your mistress.
  34. Re:Just imagine one WALKing into your cube as YOU by posys · · Score: 1
    Thanks for your reply PPB...

    You make some great points PPB, you are right, we SHOULD train homeless people to do IT work instead of making US citizens, who could have learned IT, into homeless people by allowing non-citizens to take the jobs they could have easily done if they had only been trained.

    2nd point, not sure what kind of work you do, but how do you know that YOU are NOT a person/robot who the elite above you, trained, to do THEIR work for them ?

    3rd, re: homeless vis-a-vi, as robots redefine work, the short answer is there will be no more homeless...

    Please re-read this site 28 times, until you get it: http://roboeco.com/sa-shay

    Be well PPB

    --
    The Future is already here, just unevenly distributed... THE ROBOTIC WAGELESS ECONOMY NOW! http://RoboEco.com/slash
  35. Records are good for privacy by Benjamin_Wright · · Score: 1

    You and I share lots of common ground! I agree that many (maybe most . . . maybe even the overwhelming majority) of the new digital records technology makes available are for the good, not for the bad. Digital records promote justice and democracy, as well as honesty among public officials and authority figures. My point in the posts above is simply that existing privacy law applies a bunch of regulatory burdens on machines making records about people. As robots become more common, these burdens will be an interesting issue. In my posts above I was simply describing a fact that has not yet been well debated in society. --Ben

    --
    Benjamin Wright, Dallas, Texas, benjaminwright.us
  36. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion