STriDER, a Three-Legged Walking Robot

Roland Piquepaille writes "In a short article, New Scientist reports that researchers at Virginia Tech University have developed a tripedal experimental robot. With its three legs, this robot, named STriDER — short for 'Self-excited Tripedal Dynamic Experimental Robot' — is actually more stable than 2- or 4-legged robots. As said another researcher, 'It's like a biped with a walking stick.' This robot is intended to deploy sensors and cameras in difficult-to-access areas."

Oh, come on!

[u-bend]

"Self-excited?" Tripod? And we're not supposed to make naughty jokes about this?

25 years too late

[jbeaupre]

Some guy in our neighborhood had one of these. I never saw it. But every time it snowed, tracks made by the 3 legged robot would begin showing up. What was really clever was how he molded animal paws on the feet to improve traction.

Allow me to be the first to welcome.....

[jollyreaper]

Our new tripod overlords. My only question, are they HG Wells-style [wikipedia.org] or John Christopher-style [wikipedia.org]?

ummm, Combine anyone

[tonyreadsnews]

I can't believe no-one made a joke about Half-Life 2 and the Combine's Striders.

I wonder if Gordon is in on this project?

'It's like a biped with a walking stick.'

[whopub]

'It's like a biped with a long dick.'

Fixed.

Hell of a comparison

[Dirtside]

'It's like a biped with a walking stick.'

Hm, I'd say it's more like a nine-legged dog that's had six legs removed.

Seriously, does he think it's that difficult for people to conceive of something with three legs? :)

R2D2 responds

[alienmole]

R2D2 denies being self-excited, and says he only keeps replaying that hologram of Leia for sentimental reasons.

You know

[Zorbane]

The article can never take your fun if you just refuse to read it. I mean come on...who needs to know what they are commenting about around here?

Re:A head on each side, with eyes every direction?

[FauxPasIII]

> And it's worth pointing out that it turns itself upside down every time it takes a step. This would, I think,
> end up being a real bear of a problem in a practical robot... sometimes the head's on the top... sometimes the
> head's on the bottom. It also has each of the three sides being the "front" alternately-- so, essentially, it
> has no front... Still, it's pretty darn cool.

So just put a chaingun on all 3 surfaces and make sure the ammunition feed can handle being inverted. What's the problem?

Re:Interesting concept, but...

[Chris Burke]

The main problem I see is that it can't do any turn by a a 60 degree turn. It can travel in 6 directions only... Makes me feel like I'm playing a hex board game...

Meaning you are prepared for leading the legions of strider-based war machines that are soon to be developed. Bet you never thought hex-based strategy gaming would be relevant to real life, but now you could be a General!