BIPEDAL ROBOT WONDER
‘LEONARDO’ is the first robot that can walk, fly & skateboard
Researchers have created the novel bipedal robot that is extremely nimble & performs complex functions with ease
Robots are becoming agile and capable of performing complex tasks. Simpler robots of yesteryears are giving way to more nimble robotic machines. A few months ago, I wrote about how researchers trained people to use a robotic extra thumb to carry out dexterous tasks. While this was just an augmentation to a human hand, the standalone robot/drone that we are talking about today is something out of a science fiction movie.
LEONARDO: LEgs ONboARD drOne, or LEO for short boasts of a multimodal locomotion ability. The newly developed Bipedal Robot can walk a slackline, hop, and even ride a skateboard. Researchers at Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies are behind this endeavor — putting together the first robot that uses multi-joint legs and propeller-based thrusters to achieve a fine degree of control over its balance.
The team drew inspiration from nature, looking at how birds are able to flap & hop, depending on the environment. They basically translated this complex and intriguing behavior onto their part robot/part drone. Such…
