walking
When you think of a robot walking,
smooth isn’t exactly the word that comes to mind. After all movement of bots in
the past has been less than fluid. But a new, quietly announced, robot is
hoping to change all that.
The robot is called Torque Controlled
Humanoid Robot. TORO, its short name, was made by a team of engineers at the German
Aerospace Center. TORO is a smoother walking two-legged android, which you may have
seen in a pervious incarnation. The robots first version was show off as the DLR-Biped.
Though back then it was only a pair of legs. Add on a snazzy new body and a few
upgrades in functionality and you have TORO.
For now TORO is a test prototype,
designed to help the research team study and improve upon, robotic motion. For
now TORO is pretty good walking on flat surfaces, like the stage he was
presented on, but the team has more ambitious plans in the future. They hope to
help the robot be able to climb stairs and pick himself back up after a fall
with a human like fluidity.
Source: Giz Mag
Image: Morgue File
