We are still in the phase of robotics where engineers try them all to try and figure out what works. I have no other explanation for the phenomenon, especially after seeing this species of robotic ibex presented by Kawasaki. A goat, I don't know what it is. However, a ride-on robot to carry goods or people, if neither needs to get to their destination quickly, of course.
Bex, an offshoot of Kawasaki's Kaleido project, has been working on bipedal humanoid robots for over 7 years. You will be tired, if last week (at the International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo) you presented this bizarre quadruped.
Above the bench, the robot goat is living
You will have seen it from the spectacular (and disturbing) footage from Boston Dynamics: developing a bipedal robot, agile and stable on two feet like a real human being is no easy task. And that's why Bex was created. Robotics engineers of Kawasaki were looking for a very special balance. A balance between dexterity of a bipedal robot and the stability of a robot on wheels that avoids balance problems on difficult terrain.
The robot goat emerged. On a smooth road, Bex "kneels" by folding its four legs and becomes a sort of electric scooter that moves quickly on wheels. If the ground It's starting to get bumpy, however, Bex stands up and walks on his articulated legs: the gait gives him allows you to keep it at least two at a time planted on the ground. Not bad for balance.
And the speed? Forget it
The Bex has a maximum weight capacity of 100 kilos (220 pounds), so it can transport with a certain comfort heavy goods or people. Not ask me why the designers they felt it was important to make it look like a wild goat: if nothing else the modularity of the quadruped allows to change the top part.
Those who want to concentrate on transporting goods will be able to take out the goat torso: everyone else will ride “the animal” in a proud act of twenty-first century herding. Ahoy!
