Cat-like Robot Runs Like the Wind

DeviceGuru writes "Researchers at the Biorob lab at Switzerland's École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), have announced a cat-like robot that is claimed to be the fastest quadruped robot under 30 kilograms. The Cheetah-cub Robot, which runs real-time Xenomai Linux on an x86-based RoBoard robot control board, mimics the biomechanics of a cat to increase the speed and stability of it quadroped legs, helping it achieve speeds of 1.42m/s. The goal of the still-early-stage project is to encourage research in biomechanics, with an aim toward building faster robots for search and rescue, or ground exploration. More info is available on EPFL's Cheetah page."

Comments

...for suitable values of wind, I suppose

[KNicolson]

1.42 metres per second is 5.11 kph / 3.18 mph, or Force One on the Beaufort scale, which Wikipedia tells me means "Smoke drift indicates wind direction. Leaves and wind vanes are stationary."

Re:...for suitable values of wind, I suppose

[eggstasy]

It also fails to "run like a cat" as advertised. The leg movement is similar to a fast walk, a four-beat movement. But running (galloping) is something that quadrupeds do differently, a two-beat movement, like a series of jumps, where they alternate between the hind and fore legs in pairs.

Re:...for suitable values of wind, I suppose

[somersault]

If you examine it's gait, it's just walking quickly. Almost jogging perhaps. It certainly looks nothing like quadrupeds do when they're actually running.