Researchers from the Instituto Italiano Di Technologica (IIT) have equipped iRonCub3 with rocket thrusters and a jetpack in a bid for it to become the first flying humanoid robot. More specifically, it has four jet engines, with two mounted on the arms and the other pair on a jetpack attached to the robot’s back.
Attaching these jet engines required modifying the iCub hardware design, including a new titanium spine and the addition of heat-resistant covers for heat protection. With the jet engines, iRonCub3 weighs in at around 99 lb (45 kg), and each of the turbines can provide a maximum thrust force of more than 750N, while the exhaust temperature reach over 600° F. Control algorithms are being developed to regulate both the altitude and the position of the humanoid robot during flight.
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