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Robotics

New Bipedal Robot Demoed by Google X Company (i-programmer.info) 42

Posted by EditorDavid from the where's-my-R2-D2 dept.
SCHAFT, one of eight robotic companies in the Alphabet/Google X research facility, has unveiled a new armless bipedal robot which can climb stairs and carry up to 132 pounds, reports i-programmer.info. The one-meter tall robot "is essentially a pair of almost entirely straight legs which pivot from the top," and the robot can walk on snow or uneven surfaces, even staying upright while researchers tried to trip it. The as-yet-unnamed robot was introduced during a keynote address at the New Economic Summit in Tokyo given by Android Inc. co-founder Andy Rubin (who left Google 18 months ago). A SCHAFT spokesperson later added that the presentation wasn't a product announcement. "The team was simply delighted to have a chance to show their latest progress."
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New Bipedal Robot Demoed by Google X Company More

New Bipedal Robot Demoed by Google X Company

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  • I don't dislike it, but I think they should have kept Boston Dynamics, because their bipedal robots are far more advanced.

    • What's the point of a bipedal robot anyway?
      Add two more legs and all balance issues disappear. Quadruped animals have no trouble navigating human environments (watch a dog running around your house).
      If there were no room for four legs (like when driving a car), the front legs could fold into the body out of the way.

  • The pivot point on the leg can move (Score:4, Informative)

    by CanadianRealist ( 1258974 ) on Sunday April 10, 2016 @11:14AM (#51879483)

    I had trouble picturing how a pair of straight legs which could only pivot would allow walking up and down stairs.

    If you watch closely in the video the pivot point on the leg moves up and down. The inside of the leg (meaning side towards the middle, not interior) has a track allowing the pivot point to move up and down the leg. Interesting idea which seems to work quite well.

  • ITS ED209!!! (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Seriously... Look at the boardroom ED209 Scene from the Original Robocop!
    This bots legs can be configured in EXACTLY the same way as ED209's Legs...
    We have brought ED209's mobility (With the benefit of navigating stairs!) to life. It is now a reality!
    How long until we build the real thing?
    Not long.

  • two steps backward. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Gravis Zero ( 934156 ) on Sunday April 10, 2016 @11:44AM (#51879613)

    What I don't understand is why Alphabet is selling off Boston Dynamics. Boston Dynamics is lightyears ahead of this little robot and they even got out of their military contract. So why sell Boston Dynamics just to regress to this bot?!

    • That's what I was wondering. The shitstorm brewing over at Nest [9to5google.com] also makes me wonder if there's anyone in charge at Alphabet or what the hell's going on there.

    • Yup - I was wondering the same, a few posts above. I mean, there is nice engineering here, but compared to what Boston Dynamics has, this demo is borderline embarrassing.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by tloh ( 451585 )

        A lot of of us find these developments perplexing. But perhaps the reasons is non-engineering related? Outwardly, Boston Dynamics offerings are clearly more powerful and advanced. But IIRC, an Alphabet statement said something to the effect that they are letting BD go because they have a hard time figuring out how to commercialize the asset in the future. I know less than the average person does about the details of both entities, but I would venture to guess it is the business aspect of the whole thing

    • Re:two steps backward. (Score:4, Insightful)

      by MrSteveSD ( 801820 ) on Sunday April 10, 2016 @01:49PM (#51880013)

      Boston Dynamics is lightyears ahead of this little robot

      From what I've read, Boston Dynamics may have been misrepresenting the success of their robots via editing. A bit like someone filming themselves throwing a basketball over their shoulder and then uploading the 1 successful attempt out of 200 attempts. A soon as their bipedal robot was put to a live test at the Darpa competition, it seemed to be falling all over the place even on flat ground. This is sure to have rung alarm bells at google.

      This article springs to mind. http://www.popularmechanics.co... [popularmechanics.com]

      We really need to see long unedited videos of any new robots in action to have any confidence in their reliability.

      • That article is interesting and well-written. Thank you for posting it.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Alomex ( 148003 )

        There are two types of startups coming from MIT. Type 1 is founded on excellent research and usually have a long life, and type 2 are those made mostly of vaporware and press releases in the grand tradition of the hype-oriented founders of AI and the MIT media lab, always over-promising and under-delivering.

        Boston Dynamics have been releasing amazing videos since day one, but not a single usable product. Not even a roomba, a kiva or a UAV.

        Their robots are usually bioinspired and self trained because it look

        • A little piece of information I gleaned a while ago answers that question..
          Those Atlas robots cost about $1 million each to build. - I don't know whether that's a base cost or cost + profit, but they are not cheap..

          That's is probably not an excessive cost for such a complex, and robust robot. I'm working on a Strong AI project that will ultimately (in 5 - 10 years) need to build similar machines - and my vague cost projections put it at about $200,000 to $400,000 per machine. Boston Dynamics have actually d

    • Yes but if you watch the video its quite clear that this robot is using DB tech. - Its balancing and walking algorithm is essentially the BD system. Look at how fast and powerful its servos are - either BD tech or something similar..
      As the video went on what struck me was that this looks like a prototype of R2D2. A small robot of this type could do a lot of useful jobs, is less dangerous than a humanoid type robot, less likely to damage itself, and probably costs a lot less too. This robot might cost maybe

  • I see real R2-D2 in the making.

  • And in 7 years, Google will activate the Kill Switch [boingboing.net]. And find that robots have a different opinion on what that means than home automation products do.

  • He's a complicated bot (Score:3)

    by Chelloveck ( 14643 ) on Sunday April 10, 2016 @12:18PM (#51879713)
    "That robot's one bad mother--"
    "Shut your mouth!"
    "But I'm just talkin' bout SCHAFT!"
    "Then we can dig it."
  • OK I read that title wrong. Must be the migraine? New Bipolar Robot Demoted by Google X Company

  • Shaft
    Who's the black private dick
    That's a sex machine to all the chicks?
    (Shaft!)
    You're damn right
    Who is the man
    That would risk his neck for his brother man?
    (Shaft!)
    Can ya dig it?
    Who's the cat that won't cop out
    When there's danger all about
    (Shaft!)
    Right on
    You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother
    (Shut your mouth)
    But I'm talkin' about Shaft
    (Then we can dig it)
    He's a complicated man
    But no one understands him but his woman

    Read more: Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft Lyrics | MetroLyrics

  • How does this one fare against hockey stick wielding asshats?

  • See https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com] for a good explanation.

  • Google manages to keep a robotics group going that won't create a practical product.

  • Anyone else have this song [youtu.be] going inside their head now?

  • Reminds me of the drones from Silent Running

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