Carnegie Mellon University researchers introduce Mugatu, the world’s first steerable bipedal robot with just one motor. This self-contained, self-starting robot is open-loop stable in its gait, thanks to the use of two rigid bodies, along with one actuator.
CMU undergraduate mechanical engineering student Kendall Hart helped develop the robot’s current sensor, or more specifically, the part that the team uses to calculate the total cost of transport and the amount of energy used over a certain distance. The ultimate goal is get Mugatu down to the size of a LEGO brick.
- Automatic Conversion: Transforms effortlessly between truck and robot modes via voice command or mobile app.
- Programmable: Use the dedicated app to create and customize various movements and poses, enhancing your interactive experience.
- Interactive Features: Equipped with multiple sensors and voice commands, providing an engaging and immersive experience.
The first direction of the project was aimed at simplifying the way robots walk as much as possible. Once we understand how scaling affects locomotion, it can be extremely useful for taking something that already exists and scaling it up or down to do things like fit through smaller pipes or carry more load,” said James Kyle, First Author and Recent Mechanical Engineering Master’s Gaduate.
[Source]
