new Robot cheetah from MIT can run and jump silently
There are two years, the robot Cheetah beat speed records in running. The robotic cat returns in a new quieter fully electric version capable of running on uneven ground and jump over obstacles.
There is a little over two years, Futura-Sciences presented the quadruped robot Cheetah (cheetah in English), the king of sprint treadmill capable of reaching 30 km / h. A real technical prowess tempered by the fact that the robot was connected to a hydraulic pump powered by a combustion engine, which greatly limited his mobility. But a team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has just introduced an evolution with a new control algorithm and an electric propulsion system.
This new robot Cheetah is both quieter and more independent than its predecessor. He can run at 16 km / h and jump over obstacles 33 cm high. MIT researchers ensure that this new version could reach 48 km / h. "This is the first time we demonstrate a robot powered by electric motors can run and jump over obstacles," said one of the team members in a video posted on YouTube Cheetah.
To achieve this result, the MIT team has developed a very high electric motor with a torque-controlled amplifiers. Then we had to develop an algorithm capable of reproducing the special kinematics when running cheetah. His front and hind legs bound in tandem to allow it to reach its full speed of up to 60 km / h.
a bit faster than Usain Bolt
When the cat jumped, his paws touch the ground for a split second before taking off again. Biomechanics, the percentage of time that the leg is in contact with the mainland is called the "duty cycle". More animal runs fast, more this cycle is short the researchers at MIT.
To reproduce this, the algorithm of the robot controls the force that each leg exercises during the split second or it touches the ground, which helps maintain a given speed. "Once I know how long my leg is on the ground and how long it is in the air, I know how hard I need to apply to compensate for the gravitational force, says Professor Kim Sangbae working on Cheetah the project from the beginning. Now we know how to control the jumps at different paces. And to jump, we just have to triple the strength and the robot crosses barriers. "The scientist added that this approach based on force control is close to how run sprint champions like Usain Bolt. This technique ensures the stability and agility of this quadruped robot, including over rough terrain, as evidenced by the video. Moreover, the robot is almost as quiet as its life model.
This technology could become a standard for all biped or quadruped robots. MIT researchers believe it could even be adapted to manufacture a new type of prosthetic legs, and even invent a new mode of transportation to replace the car!
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