Most people who read this post will be familiar with four-legged robots like those of Boston Dynamics (who have also of bipeds, moreover). Of course, there is no doubt that these robots are crazy, but they are also expensive: and this could limit their application in certain domains.
It is a problem that the new collaboration between the robotics company Ghost Robotics and the pioneering 3D printing company Origin hopes to help solve. The two companies have joined together to develop a new line of robots, called the Spirit Series, which offers a robot dog of exceptional capacity, which can be 3D printed at a lower cost and faster speed.
"Together, Origin and Ghost Robotics produced a robot and placed it on the market without the need to invest in expensive initial tools"Said Chris Prucha, founder and CEO of Origin. “This allows Ghost Robotics to distribute products in the field, test, get feedback while keeping costs low. Our 3D printing technology produces quality components at a lower cost than traditional manufacturing. "
Low-cost robot dog: it's not just about cost and speed
Crucial in the development of these four-legged robots are the materials. For this reason it was important to draw on the Origin platform, already well-established in the search for optimal substances for 3D printing. A strong and durable polymer for the panels was thus identified, developed by Henkel Loctite, able to better resist the elements.
Ghost Robotics CEO, Jiren Parikh, said the company's main robot customers are in the military and public security market. However, starting in Q2020 3 they will offer the new XNUMXD printed robots for companies working in areas ranging from manufacturing to mining.
These robots will become a regular part of all our lives.
Jiren Parikh , Ghost Robotics
"I quadruped robot will be at the center, replacing the jobs dogs currently have for public safety applications. Then they will deliver packages and finally they will be at home as a mobile platform that protects property and family, ”he said Parikh. “They will patrol the manufacturing plants looking for anomalies and safety problems; they will scan the progress of the work on site; they will manage the security of airport perimeters and other sensitive locations, and so on. "
