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Hobby Humanoid Robot KHR3HV Rides Bike At 10k/h

Posted by timothy on from the not-even-training-wheels dept.

An anonymous reader points out a fun robot project from Japan, writing: "The robot pedals with its feet at variable speed. The steering is done by the robot hands as with a normal bike, and remote controlled by a human. Stability is achieved by relying on the inertial centrifugal effect of the front wheel and on a gyro aided by a PID controller that takes over steering when driving in a straight line. Seems like when the robot steers his arms he also bends the waist leaning a bit into the turn. Braking is achieved by taking the feet off the pedals and pointing them down to the ground using the metal feet as friction breaks."

4 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. URL for video by definate · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqBw7XapJKk

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  2. Stability is NOT achieved that way. by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A number of very thorough studies have been done. Neither "inertia" or "centrifugal effect" from either front wheel or rear contribute anything significant to the stability of a bicycle. The fact is that even today, we do not fully understand the phenomenon. The only thing we are sure of is that it does not work the way most people think it does.

    1. Re:Stability is NOT achieved that way. by thestuckmud · · Score: 4, Informative

      This paper" states that "contrary to common belief, gyroscopic forces play only a limited role in balancing and steering". The "feel" of a bike (pedal or motor) is said to be dominated by "trail", and aspect of steering geometry; gyroscopic torque is "non-negligible", but "much smaller than trail torques".

      Gyroscopic steering is said to assist no hands bicycle riding, but I'm not a motorcycle rider and don't know about wheelie stability.

  3. Re:you steer by leaning, not turning the handlebar by subreality · · Score: 4, Informative

    You should read your link more carefully. Leaning is necessary to turn, but it is not what causes you to turn.

    Read the next section. If you want to turn right, you briefly turn the handlebars left. That leans you to the right. You then turn the handlebars to the right, and enter a stable right turn. To exit the turn, you turn right a little harder, which brings you vertical again, and then you straighten out.