Why should robots walk?
Originally published on Kapuno in the Technology community
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I’m confused why Boston Dynamics (funded by DARPA) continues to research humanoid forms of motion. We already have drones that can fly, and if you need to navigate hills/stairs you can use treads, right.
Is this really practical?
Responses
Rich LaBarca
November 01, 2012
It’s not as much about walking as it is about being dynamically stable. In the real world, robots and people encounter situations where making progress toward a goal cannot happen with a set of transitions between statically-stable states. Being able to create a path while remaining dynamically stable (on two legs, four legs, or otherwise) provides a lot more options and accessibility for the robot. Same with nature - most animals operating at human scale use dynamic stability.
Cyrus Radfar (November 01, 2012)
That’s interesting, I didn’t initially see what it would practically teach us. Seems like a good means of understanding our own design and how the brain works.
Effi Fuks Leichtag
November 01, 2012
Because we got to know how to make them fall before Skynet launches the war.
But seriously, pay attention that most of the research in this field is sponsered by defense and military funds. Hard terrain (such as afghan mountains or Lebanese forests) are very hard to maneuver for whelled machines. In the Israeli aremy, some unites are using Lamas (yes, it’s not a code name, it’s the real animal) to carry equipment in hard to cross terrains.
That’s at least one reason I can think of.
Cyrus Radfar (November 01, 2012)
I agree, but seriously, why would it walk. It should use treds like a tank or fly like a drone! By the way, where’s your beautiful face?
Effi Fuks Leichtag (November 01, 2012)
I need to ask my agent about using my face :)
When it comes to lifting equipment and supply for days over a mountain or down a creek, i think that walking is being grasped for some reason as the best way to cross hard terrains.
The IDF is now testing this machine to carry stuff, again, as it has wheels, it’s useless in many scenarios https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTDzS8SAO-s
Cyrus Radfar (November 01, 2012)
:) Ha ha! Watching the video now.
Charlie Reverte
November 01, 2012
Walking is less efficient than wheels or treads but legs give you better ground clearance (terrainability?) for comparable mass. Check out RHex for some interesting examples of dynamic walking, it has great mobility considering its size. it has 1-DOF legs and uses mechanical compliance to simplify the control logic. It even swims: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0NFrA-Nx4Y