Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science and University of California, Berkeley have developed a low-cost robot dog capable of climbing as well as descending stairs nearly its height. That’s not all, it can also traverse rocky, slippery, uneven, steep and varied terrain, including rocks as well as curbs.
This small robot was tested on uneven stairs and hillsides at public parks. More rigorous challenges had it walking across stepping stones and over slippery surfaces. It was able to adapt quickly and masters challenging terrain by relying on its vision as well as a small onboard computer. The robot was trained with 4,000 clones of itself in a simulator, where it practiced walking and climbing on tough terrain. It may take even more training to have it dancing like Boston Dynamics’ Spot or for use in the military though.
- UL 2272 certified for safety. Smart Battery Management System for reliability. IP54 waterproof protection.
- Sturdy & Powerful: Compact design, 28 lbs, 220 lbs max load. Dual 400W motors, 10 mph max speed, 13.7 miles per charge, 15° slope.
- Road Adaptive Design: 10.5" pneumatic tires for smooth ride. Knee control bar for precise steering, easy lifting. Age: 16-50. Height: 3.11-6.6".
This system uses vision and feedback from the body directly as input to output commands to the robot’s motors, This technique allows the system to be very robust in the real world. If it slips on stairs, it can recover. It can go into unknown environments and adapt,” said Ananye Agarwal, an SCS Ph.D. student in machine learning.
