For a number of reasons, the right-angle joints make the robot operate in a more natural state. "We found that, if we put the motor on the joint directly, we encountered some odd mass distribution problems, whereas, by using the right-angle motor/gearhead assemblies... we didn't see that happening. Plus, the assembly helped with the location of the proper center of gravity for the robot itself," Ames said.
With the proper joint assemblies, the components acted in a very predictable manner, which was essential when creating the control interface. "You want everything to move exactly as the mathematics and control software dictates," Ames said. The assembly allowed for the high-torque motor to operate smoothly at slow speeds. The team installed larger sprockets and a chain for each of the six joints. The idea was that the chain would become the weakest link -- like tendons -- and would be less expensive to replace.
The team is working toward surpassing the ability of wheeled robots, by focusing on collected data that shows that humans display a walking behavior that mirrors a mass-spring damper system, which is one of the simplest mechanical systems. The team is now on the path to replicating that system by using a combination of motors and gearheads, along with proprietary electronics, which means that the AMBER 2 robot is well on its way to being one of the first dynamically walking robots in the world.
I agree about the importance of funding. But all the dollars in the world won't replace ingenuity and creativity. That's one of the reasons why you get the funding.
Honda has a pretty nice demo at Disneyland. I was in Anaheim for a conference and saw the show with their robot Asimo. The bipedal robot will walk up stairs and also stand on one leg to kick a ball.
I see. Funding was their advantage. It is truly the case in ever facet of business. The more money one has, the more impact they will make.
To this day, I have yet to see someone become the next big whatever without financial backing. Kickstarter is definitely allowing those who could not finally make progress.
Same goes for robotics apparently. Some people are making weak example of robotics, while others are mimicking life.
Boston Dynamics does indeed deserve their excellent rep. But the answers to why are more mundane: a) They had military funding way before most other robot companies, and b) they had the foresight to start working on biomimicry in robotics before anyone else. They've also been really good at operating in stealth mode under the radar.
Boston Dynamics certainly has excelled past the competition. It’s truly a night and day comparison. I should investigate how they got that this point more. “Ancient Aliens” perhaps?
C
Thanks for the video Cabe. I just spent the last 30 minutes perusing the Boston Dynamics website. Unbelieveable! It's here, now. NOW watching the movie "iRobot" doesn't seem so much like fantasy as it does a peek into the future.
These guys should take some cues from Boston Dynamic's PETMAN. After watching the PETMAN video you will realize, someday that thing will be busting down doors for the U S of A.
I'm really impressed by the efforts made to give this robot a gait that closely matches actual human movement. I also appreciate the toe and heel strike motion of this robot as shown in the video.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
Andrew Morris designed a circuit that could detect a stroke victim's groan and convert the sound into a signal so caregivers would know when help was needed.
New disc magnet motors fit into the design trend of stepping up to closed loop performance while maintaining the cost advantage of stepper motor technology.
At the Design News webinar on June 27, learn all about aluminum extrusion: designing the right shape so it costs the least, is simplest to manufacture, and best fits the application's structural requirements.
On April 21, NASA launched a novel project, putting into orbit three satellites that employ an off-the-shelf commercial smartphone as the control system.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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