A Two-Legged, Stair-Climbing Robot Stephen Fung March 7, 2007 Extras Will this Japanese robot revolutionize the lives of those who are stuck in a wheelchair? It is able to handle all sorts of difficult terrain and can even go up and down a flight of stairs. Although it probably still needs a few improvements, it provides some hope to those who are not able to use their own legs. A good 90% of our day is spent sitting in a chair delivering you non-stop gadget action, but that other 10% of our waking hours when we’re forced to pursue nourishment, let the dog out, and make trips to the bathroom can be a real drag. What we wouldn’t give for a chair like the lucky kids at Waseda University have built, a two-foot tall, bipedal “robot” that uses a combination of hydraulics and algorithms to saunter along fairly gracefully and even negotiate difficult terrain like the potentially-deadly household staircase. Source: Engadget Share This With The World!
