Well folks, we are yet one step closer to creating a real life Hector robot that will come and rip off your head and wear it while chasing your girlfriend around the building. The Ghost Robotics‘ Minitaur robot reminds me of a cross between a really weird, really excited cat, and that BigDog robot.
Minitaur is much smaller than other quadrupeds and is cheaper to boot. The builders say that while the ‘bot costs $10,000 right now, if it were to be manufactured in bulk it might be as cheap as $1500. The bot can walk up stairs, do basic gymnastics, jump up, and even open doors.
It has direct drive legs with no springs or elastic components making it more robust than other bots of the sort. Check out the video and see the bot bopping along in a Pepé Le Pew style gait.
[via iEEE Spectrum]
from technabob http://ift.tt/2cUfyC2
