Walking HECTOR Robot Inspired By Stick Insect 46
Zothecula writes "In an effort to understand how animals move elegantly and in turn provide robots with the same ability, researchers at the University of Bielefeld's Center of Excellence 'Cognitive Interaction Technology' (CITEC) have developed the hexapod walking robot called HECTOR (Hexapod Cognitive autonomously Operating Robot). Designed within CITEC's multi-disciplinary Mulero project, the robot possesses the scaled up morphology of a stick insect and will be used as a test bed in various departments and projects at the University."
Nice Art Installation. (Score:3, Insightful)
Wow, the paint job and vacuum-molded parts are amazing. This is truly a piece of contemporary art. I like how it speaks to the University of Bielefeld's futile desire to build a working robot.
It would be nice if it worked! (Score:3, Insightful)
Did anyone else notice that it DOESN'T MOVE?
Nice 2:45 video with the usual pornography-inspired music track, but no movement. No 'Robot in action', just a disembodied leg on a treadmill.
Not to knock these guys too much, this is really typical of the robot industry right now. You go to a robot show or conference, and all the 'state of the art' robots are sitting there completely lifeless and no one has "permission from management" to turn them on.
Come on guys, if the industry is going to go anywhere you're going to have to ignore your lawyers and put the batteries in! Otherwise, how do we know you're not bluffing?