Watch: The First Humanoid Robot to Do a Front Flip

Zhongqing Robotics (also known as EngineAI), a Chinese robotics company, has recently introduced a humanoid robot that performs a front flip, marking a major milestone in the field of humanoid robotics.

The Challenge of Perception and Safety in a Front Flip

While robot backflips are no longer a novelty—thanks to Boston Dynamics’ Atlas doing one back in 2017—doing a front flip is far more complex. It’s much harder than a backflip, and any gymnast will tell you that.

The challenge lies in perception. When performing a front flip, as you rotate forward, your eyes lose sight of the ground, and you can only spot your landing at the very last moment. The human brain tends to feel safer when falling backward away from the ground, rather than blindly flipping forward and upside down, hoping for a perfect landing.

Additionally, the body mechanics are different. Backflips rely on stronger muscles, such as the glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles. Front flips, on the other hand, rely on the abs and hip flexors. The position required for a front flip tuck is also much trickier compared to a backflip.

One of the biggest challenges for humans attempting any flip, whether forward or backward, is overcoming hesitation. Without proper confidence and technique, a failed flip can lead to a nasty fall. It’s a frightening thought, for sure.

The Robot’s Fearless Approach to Flipping

However, none of this applies to a robot, which has no fear, hesitation, or self-preservation instincts. Its designers can equip it with powerful motors and joints, and program it to flip—so it just does it.

This is still an impressive accomplishment. The field of robotics—especially general-purpose humanoid robots—is progressing rapidly. Just a decade ago, we wouldn’t have imagined this type of technology being available. Now, you can buy your own open-source PM01 robot for $13,700 on EngineAI’s website. It’s equipped with 5 degrees of freedom (DoF) in each arm and 6 DoF in each leg, totaling 23 DoF for body movement. The bot also delivers 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque, which is quite a punch for its 4.5-ft (138 cm) frame weighing 88 lbs (40 kg).

A Stunning Front Flip and Human-like Movement

Check out this remarkable moment as EngineAI’s humanoid robot flawlessly executes a front flip and walks away like a champ—showing one of the most human-like gaits we’ve seen so far.

We’d love to see the blooper reel!

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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