Four-legged robot taught to balance on a narrow log

Engineers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have developed a system that makes

A standard four-legged robot is agile enough to walk on a narrow log.The scientists used equipment that is used to control satellites in space to improve the device's ability to keep its balance.

To improve stability, scientists useda reaction wheel drive system (RWA) that attaches to the back of the four-legged robot. This control technique allows the robot to balance regardless of the position of its legs. RWAs are widely used in the aerospace industry to control the attitude of satellites by controlling the angular momentum of the spacecraft.

Essentially you have a large flywheel withmotor attached to it. If you turn the heavy flywheel in one direction, it will cause the satellite to spin in the other direction. Now take it and place it on the body of the four-legged robot.

Zachary Manchester, associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University and study co-author

The team tested the system in a seriesexperiments that demonstrated the robot's increased ability to regain balance after sudden impacts or falls. The robot successfully navigated along a narrow log only 6 cm wide. In addition, scientists simulated the classic problem of a falling cat: they dropped the robot upside down from a height of almost half a meter. The RWAs allowed the robot to reorient itself in the air and land on its feet.

Balancing a robot on a narrow log. Video: Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science

Most modern four-legged robotsconsist of a torso and four legs, each of which ends in a rounded foot, the engineers say. This allows the robot to navigate flat surfaces and even climb stairs. Such robots resemble dogs or cheetahs, but unlike these animals, which can use their tails to control sharp turns, the robots don't balance well.

As long as the robot's three legs remain in contact withearth, it remains stable. But if only one or two feet are on the ground, the robot cannot easily adjust its position and has a much higher risk of falling. Lack of balance makes walking over rough terrain especially difficult. Increasing the ability to keep balance will expand the possibilities for the use of robots.

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