We’re getting closer and closer to the Robocalypse: Osaka-based industrial equipment maker Muscle Corporation and a few other Japanese companies have developed a humanoid that can climb up (and down) ladders all by itself. Considering how hard it still is to create robots that can walk smoothly, this is quite an accomplishment.
The so-called “Dream Robo” was actually showcased last year during the Shanghai Expo. It stands 1.4m high, weighs about 30kg and moves with the help of five motors that are built into its body.
Muscle Corp.’s president Hirofumi Tamai explains how Dream Robo actually climbs walls:
For example, if the robot suspends itself and moves to the next step, first of all, it raises its right hand. Then, it rotates its back. Next, it raises the hand a bit more, returns its back to the previous position, and pulls the hand downward. The force needed to grasp the pipe is transmitted in the motor, and after the motor has grasped it properly, the next motor is instructed to raise the left hand. So the robot’s motion involves that kind of dialog between the motors.
This video, shot by Diginfo TV in Tokyo, provides more insight:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsX-FdcqF4U&w=560&h=315]
And this video is proof that Dream Robos can handle walls outside buildings, too:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD_e6xKuT3Y&w=420&h=315]
