Walking Chair
Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan has just demonstrated a prototype bipedal robot that carries a person on top. They call it a walking chair:
WL-16 uses 12 actuators to move forwards, backwards and sideways while carrying an adult weighing up to 60 kilograms (130 pounds). The robot can adjust its posture and walk smoothly even if the person it is carrying shifts in the chair. At present it can only step up or down a few millimeters, but the team plans to make it capable of dealing with a normal flight of stairs.
Very complex, I'd like to see the sensor suite on board.
Posted by elkaim at November 24, 2003 2:33 PM