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MABEL Robot Runs Like a Human
MrSeb writes "Researchers at the University of Michigan have created a running, obstacle-scaling robot. This robot, which is called MABEL (not an acronym), is capable of running at speeds of up to 3.06 meters per second, or 6.8 mph. Physically she is very similar to a human — a heavy torso, and light, springed legs that act as load balancers and shock absorbers — and with a clever feedback system, MABEL even runs like a human, spending 40% of her time three or four inches off the ground."
Not very much like me. I'm missing the bar attached to my hip. I can run straight too.... don't like circles.
Would be better if they'd explained in their YouTube text that they were only testing forward balance, not lateral stability. Instead they claim it is "Running free", which is laughable.
I do agree that the general concept of getting general ideas for robots and advancing them is a good idea, although I do have to question the practicality of focusing on making them bipeds, Evolution saw biped as a function that wasn't worth adding for a very long time, instead it spent a few Milena on mastering quadrupeds while it waited for the AI to catch up to handle the balancing act that is biped walking (and even those units take close to a year to calibrate themselves), Personally I would imagine a modified tank tread system could be modified to get them fairly efficiently to most places humans go, just add a secondary system for tight turns etc... and some decent balance/grip mechanism for stairs. I think the emphasis on bipedal robots is what is slowing down the process of actually accomplishing most of what they are intended to do.
That's the thing I just don't get with robot design. Why do we feel the need to give it bipedal locomotion? I could see a necessity for legs instead of wheels (more terrain mobility and all), but why not put it on four legs? Or six? And don't gimme that "so it has its arms free" explanation. We are not nature. We do not have to make the choice between arms and legs, we can have both on our robot.
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No, it's running on its own, the cable and poll are there in case of failure. The interesting thing there is the air time.That's a really big deal.
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Our environment is designed for human-sized bipedal forms, so it makes a certain amount of sense to design robots that are generally the same size/shape. That way they can use our buildings, elevators, stairs, appliances, etc.
Look, here's Toyota's robot running. It's brief, but both feet do leave the floor for brief intervals. And instead of a support beam holding it to a fixed track, it uses this stuff called "feet" and a "sense of balance" to stay upright. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv35ItWLBBk
because the lead designer really hates e.e. cummings.
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