Segway v2.0?

[dlavery]

Last week I was pariticapint in a National Science Foundation review of ongoing robotics research in Japan. While touring through the labs at Waseda University, we glimpsed a device through an open lab doorway, and just had to find out more.

This is not the most elegant, or the most advanced, walking machine I have ever seen. But it is the very first one I have come across that is specifically designed to carry a person! Take a look at this: http://www.takanishi.mech.waseda.ac...._16/index.html (and check out the videos!). The machine was very impressive (and loud!) as it walked around. The legs are basically inverted Stewart Platforms, with force-torque sensors and uni-directional compliance at the ankle. They are currently conducting a series of performance tests with the unit outdoors in urban settings (sidewalks, street curbs, etc.).

So will they be able to convince Dean to give up on wheels and go for legs? Is this the next generation Segway?!!

-dave

[Arefin Bari]

That is really cool... now I can only wish to build a robot like that. It would be really cool to see a segway with legs, I guess thats what Dean’s homework is this time ...

[VGMasterShadow]

That Segway clone would be pretty cool to have in the USA. The legs could allow the machine to go where most Segways cannot, plus the fact that you sit down in this machine and not in the Segway, which could allow handicapped people to use the machine. However, the machine could be much slower than the Segway because it has legs instead of wheels, but that's probably the only downfall in that Japanese machine. Very nice.

[Joe Matt]

Biggest problem is that wheels and motors don't break as easy as hydrolics and pistons.

[Adam Y.]

The machine was very impressive (and loud!) as it walked around. The legs are basically inverted Stewart Platforms, with force-torque sensors and uni-directional compliance at the ankle. They are currently conducting a series of performance tests with the unit outdoors in urban settings (sidewalks, street curbs, etc.).

I can imagine it if those legs go wild. Gromit my trousers have gone crazy.

Last week I was pariticapint in a National Science Foundation review of ongoing robotics research in Japan. While touring through the labs at Waseda University, we glimpsed a device through an open lab doorway, and just had to find out more.

Dave you are so lucky.

Biggest problem is that wheels and motors don't break as easy as hydrolics and pistons.

Look again at that robot. It uses no hydralics. Also, I really don't think hydralics are that unreliable as you think they are.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by VGMasterShadow

That Segway clone would be pretty cool to have in the USA.

That is not a Segway clone. It does not attempt to do anything similar to what the Segway does, expect possibly to move.
Those piston looking things on the legs appear to be driven by DC motors. And I see nothing labeled hydraulic, just linear actuators.

This is a Segway clone. It attempts to do capitalize on Segway marketing and sell a cheap knock off. "When the Segway came out, we thought to ourselves, 'This is very interesting,'" said John Wang, president of Global Manufacture Group, Vista, Calif. "We said, we can do this, but the gyroscope technology—we didn't think people could afford it." Nor could they do it.




Wetzel

[VGMasterShadow]

OK, then lets call it a Legway.

[CrazyCarl461]

Originally Posted by VGMasterShadow

OK, then lets call it a Legway.

Legway already exists. It is a small self-balancing Lego robot created by Steve Hassenplug. When I was in high school, I was an advisor on one of the area Lego League teams that Steve worked with. He would give us his time teaching what he knew about Lego robots (which is a lot).

http://www.teamhassenplug.org/robots/legway/

[VGMasterShadow]

Originally Posted by CrazyCarl461

Legway already exists. It is a small self-balancing Lego robot created by Steve Hassenplug. When I was in high school, I was an advisor on one of the area Lego League teams that Steve worked with. He would give us his time teaching what he knew about Lego robots (which is a lot).

http://www.teamhassenplug.org/robots/legway/

You do realize that Legway quote was a joke, right?

Actually, I forgot about the "Legway program" of Lego, so just blame it on the beta.

[Rich Wong]

Originally Posted by dlavery

So will they be able to convince Dean to give up on wheels and go for legs? Is this the next generation Segway?!!

-dave

It's more like the next generation iBOT than Segway?

[suneel112]

The next major "leap" would be to engineer a leg out of (guess what?) real human cells. The main benefit to segway is speed. It can go 9 mph without huffing and puffing for a mile or two. It would take some physical training for a layman to do that. The Japanese "legway" would probably be very slow, but it has good use for the handicapped.
The "Real Leg", as I call it, would be just for those who unfortunately cannot walk. It would be attached to nerves, so it could be controlled almost unconsciously like a body part. If there is a way to engineer organs and tissue without maiming a live human being (i.e. produce only legs or only hearts), that would be a great leap forward into the 22nd Century.

[Adam Y.]

More robot walking robots.