Mar 14
The Italian Institute of Technology’s
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Aug 01
HyQ quadruped robot makes its first public appearance in London, steps up with new feature (video)
Posted in: Today's Chili
Unless you actually work in robotics, you probably don’t get to see too many mechanical masterpieces in person. If you live in London, however, you’ve got at least one chance: the Italian Institute of Technology is slated to showcase its Hydrolic Quadruped robot (HyQ) in public for the first time. Starting August 1st, the four-legged assemblage of metal will be on display at London’s Natural History Museum as part of the Living Machines Conference. It’s the original model that’s going to be part of the event, though, so visitors won’t be able to watch the latest model’s new trick: stepping over obstacles like a boss. The new HyQ’s step reflex algorithm was developed to help it navigate rugged terrain by reacting to physical barriers. Because the unit’s legs feel out obstacles, the robot can now avoid stumbling in low-visibility areas — potentially preventing saving millions of dollars in limb repair. Although you can’t see the upgraded HyQ out in public, you can watch it conquer 11-centimeter planks in the video after the break.
Filed under: Robots
Jul 31
We have seen the HyQ robot in the past, where it seemed to be based off the Big Dog robot that has gone through many an improvement ever since we first talked about it in 2008. Quadruped robots might have the speed to move around quickly, but this does not mean that they are the most stable footed robots around. Should the average quadruped robot run into an obstacle, chances are they would just collapse, which is why a bunch of Italian researchers decided to ensure that robots of the future, quadruped or otherwise, should learn not to trip over things like a little kid learning how to walk for the first time.
What you see above is the HyQ, a robotic “stallion” of sorts from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genoa, Italy, and the latest “arsenal” in its development would be learning the “step reflex.” This particular movement or behavior would definitely be familiar to most of us, as it is an action seen in us humans, where we learn to make last minute adjustments to our bodies whenever our toe catches a stair or the curb, ensuring that we do not fall face down and make a fool of ourselves. Hence, it is nice to see the “step reflex” working to a certain extent in the video above, and I am quite sure that when the researchers have perfected it, the HyQ would be quite a beast traversing over various terrain.
Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | HyQ Learns To Walk Without Tripping Over Obstacles original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Jul 31
Until now, quadraped robots have been a bit like terrifying mechanical sprinters: They go and go and go, but if they run into an obstacle, they’re gonna fall like a tangle-legged AT-AT. So because the prospect of bots that can throw cinderblocks and climb buildings wasn’t terrifying enough, Italian researchers are teaching robots how not to trip.
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