Engineers at the MIT Leg laboratory
built robots that walk and run.
The 3D modified uses a gyroscope to sense balance
and hops on a springy piston like leg using compressed air.
The robot places its foot to maintain balance and speed
and can react appropriately when pushed.
Some of the robots, such as the Uniroo,
are inspired by animals.
This robot uses its tail to help it bounce like a kangaroo.
One thing the engineers wanted to find out
was, how fast can a legged robot run?
The planar biped currently holds the world speed record
for a legged robot.
Here, it is running 11 miles per hour.
The planar biped can also climb stairs.
Because it doesn't have any eyes,
it needs to be told where the stairs are.
It can also do some basic gymnastics.
The 3D biped can also do gymnastics.
All of the running robots use springs in their legs
just like animals do.
Kangaroos, horses, and even people
have tendons, which store and release
energy like a bouncing ball.
Since the Quadruped has four legs,
it can run with different gaits.
Here, it is trotting like a horse.
And here, the robot is bounding like a rabbit.
Like the other robots, the Quadruped
gets its power through hydraulic, pneumatic, or
electrical cables.
Spring Flamingo is a two-legged robot
that walks almost as fast as a person.
Instead of bouncing on springy legs, like running robots,
walking robots bob up and down like a football rolling
end over end.
Since Spring Flamingo doesn't have eyes,
he senses hills using his feet in response to it
like you would if your eyes were closed.
Reconfigurable Blob robots can have
advantages of both wheeled and legged robots.
They can both get over rough ground like a tank tread
or roll efficiently like a wheel.
Using what was learned from legged robots,
the engineers also construct intelligent artificial limbs
like this prosthetic knee.
They are trying to make the knee think and react
for different conditions.
Computer simulations are used to test the robot programs
and also as an animation tool.
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