Two-Legged, Human-Inspired Walking Robot Tackles Tough Terrain Outside (VIDEO)

Scientists have successfully field-tested a two-legged robot that has technology that may herald the future of running robots. Called ATRIAS, the new robot can keep its balance, move nicely and withstand mild blows.

The bipedal robot was biologically inspired to mimic the spring-legged action of animals. In fact, the robot is the closest a machine has yet come to resembling human locomotion.

The human-sized robot has six electric motors powered by a lithium polymer battery about the size of a half-gallon of milk. This is substantially smaller than the power packs of other mobile robots and is made possible by the energy efficiency of its elastic leg design and the energy retention that's natural to animal movement.

"Animals with legs sort of flow in the energy used, in which retained kinetic energy is just nudged by very efficient muscles and tendons to continue the movement once it has begun," said Jonathan Hurst, one of the researchers, in a news release.

Tests have indicated that ATRIAS is about three times more energy-efficient than any other human-sized bipedal robots. In addition, it was able to demonstrate its abilities outside, which is a far more challenging environment than indoors.

The researchers hope that the new robot could help inspire prosthetic limbs for people, or the use of an exo-skeleton to assist people with muscular weakness. The fact that the robot can move effectively over uneven terrain, though, means that it opens up applications in the military, disaster response or any other type of dangerous situation.

Want to see the robot for yourself? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.

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