Bipedal robot walks a tightrope
October 22, 2012 12:10 AM Subscribe
Whenever I see these amazing robots not only am I amazed by the robots I am amazed that people can do this stuff as well. The hundreds of samples and adjustments performed by sensors and motors in the robot are performed in humans without us even thinking about it.
posted by Ad hominem at 12:36 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ad hominem at 12:36 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
This will either impress you with the robot's ability or annoy you with the roboticists wasting their time.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:54 AM on October 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:54 AM on October 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
The choice of music is amazingly unsuitable!
posted by Pyrogenesis at 1:33 AM on October 22, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by Pyrogenesis at 1:33 AM on October 22, 2012 [5 favorites]
Boston Dynamics seems to have conditioned me to expect videos of robots exhibiting some new form of locomotion to be terrifying.
I'm a little sad about the nightmares I won't be having.
posted by louche mustachio at 1:45 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm a little sad about the nightmares I won't be having.
posted by louche mustachio at 1:45 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's really odd how something quite so impressive as this neat balancing act can be ruined by it not living up to our expectations - namely that it didn't move one foot in front of the other.
I mean that without snark - this is really quite cool, but it just triggered a disappointed noise from me... :/
posted by sodium lights the horizon at 2:01 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I mean that without snark - this is really quite cool, but it just triggered a disappointed noise from me... :/
posted by sodium lights the horizon at 2:01 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
It looks a bit like my most successful QWOP attempt.
posted by knapah at 2:17 AM on October 22, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by knapah at 2:17 AM on October 22, 2012 [6 favorites]
Seems to this novice that a gyroscope in his abdomen might be
enough to keep him upright and shuffling along.
...but it just does not seem to make sense. something is not right here.
could it really balance that quickly? just seems there are too many variables.
posted by quazichimp at 3:09 AM on October 22, 2012
enough to keep him upright and shuffling along.
...but it just does not seem to make sense. something is not right here.
could it really balance that quickly? just seems there are too many variables.
posted by quazichimp at 3:09 AM on October 22, 2012
There appears to be a half pipe type of fitting on the inside of each foot that sits over the "rope". Yeah, if it "walked" the tight-rope I would be impressed, this, not so much...
posted by HuronBob at 3:32 AM on October 22, 2012
posted by HuronBob at 3:32 AM on October 22, 2012
could it really balance that quickly? just seems there are too many variables.
That tightrope looks more like a steel rod so there's no issue of wobbles.
posted by gronkpan at 3:40 AM on October 22, 2012
That tightrope looks more like a steel rod so there's no issue of wobbles.
posted by gronkpan at 3:40 AM on October 22, 2012
It is a narrow steel blade, held under high tension (see the large steel tube below) -- much like a hacksaw blade. This blade fits into a slot in the robot's foot. I doubt that the robot could actually tip over and fall off of the "wire" in this arrangement.
The movement is nicely choreographed, very fluid, but this is not a balancing act. Probably some active wobble cancellation, but not actual balancing.
posted by m450n at 4:47 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
The movement is nicely choreographed, very fluid, but this is not a balancing act. Probably some active wobble cancellation, but not actual balancing.
posted by m450n at 4:47 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I haven't "walked" like that since I quit drinking.
posted by howfar at 5:17 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by howfar at 5:17 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Flying WALL-Enda
posted by not_on_display at 5:34 AM on October 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by not_on_display at 5:34 AM on October 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
You told me those Wright boys had a flying machine. This is a fifteen-minute-gliding machine at best. YAWN. Call me when they do something impressive, I have important papers to re-arrange and will settle for not an iota under umnanned transcontinental.
posted by griphus at 5:54 AM on October 22, 2012 [9 favorites]
posted by griphus at 5:54 AM on October 22, 2012 [9 favorites]
The thing is, griphus, that I don't think this robot is actually even tackling the problem of balancing in the same way that the Wright gliders did the problem of aviation. It seem to me more like someone showing you a flying fox (zip-line) and telling you they've built a flying machine.
posted by howfar at 6:15 AM on October 22, 2012
posted by howfar at 6:15 AM on October 22, 2012
Nope, still gonna be impressed.
posted by griphus at 7:22 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 7:22 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I think it's quite impressive. It has to step onto and off the "tightrope" - it has to balance on the thing and move - which you can see by its arms having to balance it. And despite the groove in its feet looks like it can fall off to me. This reminds me of the thread a while back of the mechanical donkey with a range of 20 miles - we're expecting current technology robots to just lick complex concepts like balancing on uneven objects or moving through uneven, obstacle-strewn ground. Although this is quite a cool balancing trick.
Also, it gave a little self-congratulatory bow at the end. I like the idea that a robot can be programmed to be overly pleased with itself.
posted by MuffinMan at 7:22 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, it gave a little self-congratulatory bow at the end. I like the idea that a robot can be programmed to be overly pleased with itself.
posted by MuffinMan at 7:22 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Thank you, griphus. The rest of you people...
posted by not that girl at 7:27 AM on October 22, 2012
posted by not that girl at 7:27 AM on October 22, 2012
I read it as "Bigot robot walks a tightrope" and now I don't care about the real story.
posted by mrgrimm at 7:42 AM on October 22, 2012
posted by mrgrimm at 7:42 AM on October 22, 2012
It's really odd how something quite so impressive as this neat balancing act can be ruined by it not living up to our expectations - namely that it didn't move one foot in front of the other.
I mean that without snark - this is really quite cool, but it just triggered a disappointed noise from me... :/
What about when it rides a bicycle?
posted by J.W. at 10:13 AM on October 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
I mean that without snark - this is really quite cool, but it just triggered a disappointed noise from me... :/
What about when it rides a bicycle?
posted by J.W. at 10:13 AM on October 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh my god the miniature basket with the individually painted miniature vegetables.
posted by griphus at 10:31 AM on October 22, 2012
posted by griphus at 10:31 AM on October 22, 2012
You don't need a fancy Japanese robot to ride a miniature bicycle, you just need to keep moving. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkhbyKHfLp4
posted by public at 11:37 AM on October 22, 2012
posted by public at 11:37 AM on October 22, 2012
griphus: "Nope, still gonna be impressed."
Man tough crowed! Maybe I should have emphasized this is a $1800 hobby robot that anyone can buy, that was hacked by one person in his home, and not some multi-gazillion defense project with a team of 50.
posted by stbalbach at 12:02 PM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Man tough crowed! Maybe I should have emphasized this is a $1800 hobby robot that anyone can buy, that was hacked by one person in his home, and not some multi-gazillion defense project with a team of 50.
posted by stbalbach at 12:02 PM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, sorry. Well, addressed to doubters of the wonderfulness of the miraculous tight rope walking robot created by evil genius Dr. Guero.
posted by stbalbach at 12:12 PM on October 22, 2012
posted by stbalbach at 12:12 PM on October 22, 2012
I think it's actually balancing itself - Those solid-metal 'hands' on the ends of the arms are a nice touch.
And pointing out that it's an 'off the shelf' kit/model without mentioning names like 'ROBONOVA-1' is just cruel - Though googling around for it DID bring me to this little guy, so thanks. :)
posted by Orb2069 at 12:37 PM on October 22, 2012
And pointing out that it's an 'off the shelf' kit/model without mentioning names like 'ROBONOVA-1' is just cruel - Though googling around for it DID bring me to this little guy, so thanks. :)
posted by Orb2069 at 12:37 PM on October 22, 2012
still pretty impressive despite the music
posted by PhillipRLopez at 1:34 PM on October 22, 2012
posted by PhillipRLopez at 1:34 PM on October 22, 2012
DARPA's latest humanoid robot jumps and climbs with athletic precision
posted by homunculus at 12:21 PM on October 26, 2012
posted by homunculus at 12:21 PM on October 26, 2012
« Older "You can cause a lot of discomfort and some people... | no stairway? Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by wierdo at 12:28 AM on October 22, 2012 [9 favorites]