Most people who read this post will be familiar with four-legged robots like those of Boston Dynamics (who have also of bipeds, however). Sure, there's no doubt that these robots are amazing, but they're also expensive: and this may 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 have produced a robot and brought it to market without the need to invest in expensive initial tools”Said Chris Prucha, founder and CEO of Origin. “This allows Ghost Robotics to deploy products into 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.
The CEO of Ghost Robotics, Jiren Parikh, said the company's primary robot customers are in the military and public safety markets. However, starting in the second quarter of 2020 they will offer the new 3D 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 they will be front and 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 production facilities for anomalies and safety problems; they will scan the progress of the works on site; they will manage the security of airport perimeters and other sensitive locations, and so on. ”
