PressTV... Korean developers of a bipedal robot allege it to be capable of outrunning the world’s 100-meter sprint record-toter. The minds behind Raptor, as the automaton has been christened, at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) say it outperforms Usain Bolt by some two seconds. Bolt’s intact record stands at 9.58 seconds.
The machine has been fitted with a tail, which restores its balance on tricky terrain, and sports an inbuilt energy recovery system.
The institute’s Park Jong-won has said, "The KAIST's Raptor robot actually runs at the maximum speed of 46km/h which means the robot can run 100m in just 7.8seconds. That means the robot is faster than Usain Bolt."
"Raptor robot also stabilizes its position when it's disturbed while running very fast. So, that means the robot can manage its body posture very actively based on the natural movement of animals," he has noted.
Park has said, "So, in the future when the robot is fully developed, the robot is expected to be used in military service for instance, reconnaissance, or supply things. On the other hand, the robot also can be used for rescuing people in the very urgent situations."
A robot with three spinning legs on either side has also been made, which is capable of running as fast as a car, using a special method for locomotion.
The legs on OutRunner, the two-feet-tall android, move in such a way to keep one leg on one side on the ground as another on the other side is lifted off.
An offshoot of Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), Robotics Unlimited has created the automaton. According to its creators, it can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.
HN/HN