And we’re one step closer to the Robocalypse: a research team at the Nagoya Institute of Technology has developed a passive robot that can walk on its own. All it needs to get moving is a gentle push – no motors, sensors or even electricity needed. Its legs and ankles are powered by potential energy only.
The makers says the robot is made of aluminum and took 100,000 steps in a row during a test (which lasted 13 hours). The robot is able to carry a payload of “10-20kg” and could be used by people who have trouble walking, for example (it’s possible for humans to “wear” the robot on their legs).
The robot is 90cm high and walks at 3.3km/h. A commercial version is expected to become available in 1-2 years.
This video from Diginfo TV (shot in Tokyo, in English) shows the robot in action:
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
Boston, MA
Berlin, Germany
San Francisco
