Slashdot Log In
Chairbot Walks You Around While You Sit
Posted by
samzenpus
on Wed Jun 06, 2007 07:19 PM
from the stop-using-your-legs-like-a-sucker dept.
from the stop-using-your-legs-like-a-sucker dept.
Gary writes "What do you get when you combine a robot and a chair? The Hubo FX-1 chairbot, of course. In what is perhaps my favorite robot design yet, this giant chair with legs looks like it came out of some ridiculous 80's sci-fi movie or something, but it's very, very real. HUBO FX-1 is two meters in height, and weighs 150 kg. The person sitting can control the robot easily using the built in joystick. Each ankle has a 3-axis force/torque sensor which measures the normal force and 2 moments. Each foot has an inclination sensor which measures the angle of the slope. Also, the rate gyro and the inclination sensor of the body allow the device to stabilize itself."
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Full
Abbreviated
Hidden
Loading... please wait.
Protecting us (Score:5, Funny)
Pak Chooie Unf!
One thought (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:One thought (Score:5, Insightful)
Hey, they have to start somewhere!
Parent
Re:One thought (Score:5, Funny)
This was my first thought. Wheels are no good on rough and uneven terrain.
I just wonder WTF would buy a 2m tall 2 legged monstrosity, when 6 short legs would be much simpler to control and balance. This thing is rediculously impractical.
Then I read the end of TFA about soldiers on these things with chain guns and rpgs. My internal school boy nearly wet himself."Sure it may be a huge target on an inherently unstable pedal configuration with an inability to assume a prone position or find effective cover, but hey, it's a bit like a Mech!"
Wankers.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
If enough armor can be packed on it, the "mech" platform might be more effective in urban combat than tanks. At least for patrolling an area, if not the original capture of an urban environment. Of course then we would only be a few years away from police in the US and EU from using "mechs" in riot control, and then we would be screwed. As it is G8 already has 1000 injured protesters. "http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6728303.stm [bbc.co.uk]
Re:One thought (Score:5, Funny)
With no armour whatsoever, a few million nanobots that eat ammunition would be more effective than tanks, _and_ they'd be completely uneffected by the tripwires that are so easy to set up in urban environments. Not nearly as exciting though.
Parent
Re:One thought (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:One thought (Score:5, Interesting)
Whenever a new design for a 2-legged robot shows up, people immediately complain about how impractical bipedalism is and that the problem can easily be solved with more legs. But if that were the case, if there were no advantage to bipedalism, then bipedal organisms would not have shown up at all, let alone numerous times in separate groups of animals through history.
Once the balance problem has been solved, bipedal robots will be as fast and agile as bipedal humans, dinosaurs (avian and non-), etc. And then Will Smith will have to save us all from them.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
The reason that bipedalism shows up in animals is that the basic bodyplan of all vertebrates has two sets on limbs. It's easier in evolution
Re:One thought (Score:4, Insightful)
There's kangaroos who use 2 legs (albeit with a hopping gait and a tail for balance) - but they have no problems clearing 6 ft fences, can cruise at 25 km/h and sprint for up to 2km at 40km/h) , and emus for a start (top speed about 50km/h. Africa has ostriches too of course.
Not to mention penguins? how could you forget about them, on slashdot!
Parent
Re:One thought (Score:4, Informative)
Guess you must have missed these animals known as "birds" as well as their extinct ancestors, therapod dinosaurs
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Re:One thought (Score:5, Informative)
To go hiking in the hills, walking over dunes on the beach, all the things that wheels aren't really suitable for.
Parent
Toyota (Score:4, Informative)
Parent
If you're gonna build a chairbot, do it right... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:If you're gonna build a chairbot, do it right.. (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re:If you're gonna build a chairbot, do it right.. (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Dude, I think you've just named my next band.
Re:If you're gonna build a chairbot, do it right.. (Score:3, Funny)
By rotating this circle each leg would be able to grip onto the floor and help the engine propel you in the direction you want to go in.
Not enough capacity (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
LipoBot (Score:5, Funny)
LipoBot - Patent Pending.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
But only in Soviet Russia.
--Rob
Go Neimoidian Culture! (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, boy... (Score:2)
Chairbot Mech moves 3/5/0 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Chairbot Mech moves 3/5/0 (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Payback (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Payback (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
if I had a successful .com startup... (Score:5, Funny)
I thought that said Chairboy. (Score:2)
Steve Ballmer Version (Score:5, Funny)
clicking on link... (Score:2)
In the name of the South (Score:2)
I have a little proposition to make. The unconditional and immediate surrender of the United States of America to the Loveless Alliance!
That seems silly (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Also how will we build are mech warriors without this type of tech?
It's a little large. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:It's a little large. (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Congrats! (Score:2, Insightful)
May I be the first.... (Score:5, Funny)
Technical Paper (Score:5, Informative)
good timing (Score:5, Funny)
Ok, Dude, (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
In all seriousness.... (Score:4, Informative)
There's an inherent advantage of legs over wheels - that's why we have to go out of our way to make ramps for the wheelchair-bound. This device represents, to me, an important step (HAH!) in design of legged machines. Having a robot which can walk intelligently over unpredictable surfaces would be pretty useful.
Just off the top of my head, here are some areas this could come in handy:
Construction/mining/etc. - As it is, everything needs to be carted around by trucks, which aren't maneuverable in the way a set of legs can be;
The disabled - as mentioned by a few, the wheel in wheelchair makes things very tough for our legless friends. With a legchair, they could maybe climb stairs and go over rougher terrain;
Military - same deal. It's basically the first step toward a genuine Mech;
Automated factories - no longer are we limited to wheels/tracks/conveyor belts. There's gotta be some advantage to that.
Space? - The idea of a droid repairing your spaceship just got a little less out there, maybe?
There are probably more, too. I think the chair itself is retarded, but the research that's gone into getting a set of functioning, intelligent legs is pretty useful.
Spider car! (Score:4, Interesting)
1/2 chevaline (Score:3, Interesting)