A Dog-Like Robot Runs Autonomously Once Started

In recent times, there has been a surge in quadruped “robotic dogs,” but they typically rely on control motors to sustain their running movements. In contrast, a novel experimental version continues to run independently after being initiated.

A Canadian robotics student named Mickaël Achkar developed the device at Switzerland’s EPFL research institute by utilizing motion-capture data from real running dogs. Using principal component analysis, this data was organized into various vectors that defined the primary aspects of dog motion, influencing the design of the device.

Symmetrical Robotic Design

The resulting robot, characterized by bilateral symmetry, features metal rods as its skeletal structure, 3D-printed polymer pulleys for joints, and thin steel cables mimicking tendons. Like a genuine dog, each of its four legs possesses three joints, all of which are mechanically synchronized with one another.

During testing on a motorized treadmill, Achkar and colleagues made an unexpected discovery: once the robot commenced running, it could sustain its motion solely through the treadmill’s movement. Even though the robot had motors capable of moving each leg, these motors didn’t need to remain active.

“At first, we considered it might have been a coincidence,” Achkar noted. “So, we made some slight adjustments to the design and ran another test – but the robot couldn’t maintain its running anymore.”

Enhancing Stability with a Counterweight

To address this, the researchers added a pendulum-like counterweight to the rear of the robot to assist in maintaining its motion once it had begun running. However, it’s important to note that the robot is not a perpetual motion machine; it still relies on its motors for actions like jumping and navigating obstacles.

Achkar clarified, “Our aim isn’t to compete with highly advanced robotic dogs, but rather to explore designs inspired by nature. This involves refining a robot’s fundamental structure and adjusting its passive properties to minimize the need for complex control systems, all while maximizing its capabilities. What we’ve achieved here – optimizing joint functionality for synergy – has already proven beneficial in creating robotic hands and other body parts.”

You can watch the robot in action, simulating a dog’s running motion, in the video below.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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