What do the fastest runner in history and a cutting-edge robot have in common? The answer is clear: speed. A team of Chinese researchers has created a panther robot capable of challenging Usain Bolt's 100-meter record, opening up unexpected scenarios in the field of quadruped robotics (which has already been quite lively in the last two years, to be honest).
Panther Robot: The New Frontier of Fast Robotics
The project, called Black Panther 2.0 (Marvel, stacce) is the result of the collaboration between the startup Mirror Me and the Center for Interdisciplinary Mechanics ofZhejiang University. Second as reported by Xinhua, the robot represents a significant step forward in quadruped robotics, combining lightness and extraordinary performance.
Impressive technical features
With a weight of only 38 kilograms and a height of 63 cm, this panther robot can run 100 meters in under 10 seconds. The maximum speed reached is 10,4 meters per second, about 37,4 kilometers per hour: practically the same record speed as Bolt at the 2009 World Athletics Championships, which reached 10,44 metres per second.
Structural innovations
To achieve this exceptional performance, the researchers equipped the robot with flexible knee-like joints on each of its four legs. The structure was reinforced with carbon fiber to maintain integrity under the stress generated by the weight of the robot moving at high speeds.
And then, as they say, a healthy mind in a healthy body (and vice versa): because Black Panther 2.0 is not just advanced mechanics. The robot uses theartificial intelligence and the machine learning algorithm to adapt its movements to the surrounding environment, a perfect example of how modern robotics is increasingly integrating machine learning systems.
The performance of Black Panther 2.0 is even more impressive when compared to other existing quadruped robots. DEEP Robotics Lynx, for example, reaches a top speed of just 4,9 meters per second (about 17,6 kilometers per hour), less than half the speed of the new Chinese robot.
It should be noted that in 2012, Boston Dynamics had demonstrated a speed of 12,6 meters per second (45,4 kilometers per hour) with its cheetah robot. However, that device was substantially larger and heavier and was never commercialized.
Panther Robot, Future Applications
Although the intended use of this extraordinary speed is not yet clear, similar quadruped robots have been proposed for security purposes and for monitoring hazardous environments. The combination of high speed and artificial intelligence could open up new possibilities in these fields.
The creation of this panther robot once again challenges the limits of what we thought was possible for a machine. It remains to be seen what the practical applications of this technology will be (as always I have the idea of military uses as well), but it is certain, now: the future of robotics walking and it runs like us: in fact, faster. Much faster.