Robot Ape Walks on Knuckles, Tackling Tough Terrain (Video)

Robots have been designed to mimic all sorts of animals--from cheetahs to lizards. Now, scientists have created a robot that mimics a new type of species: an ape. The new creation could potentially be used to traverse terrain that wheeled robots can't.

The new robot, known as iStruct, certainly looks like an ape. With its long arms and jointed legs, the creation has a heel-toe step that's similar to a human's. Its curved spine gives it a bent shape, allowing it to move as apes move with the use of its "knuckles." While most walking robots need tethers to supply power, this one actually possesses a completely self-contained battery source. The entire robot weighs only about 40 pounds, according to Discovery News.

Designed by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the robot moves relatively slowly--and actually getting its balance correct wasn't easy. In order to keep the arms and legs in sync and properly touching the ground, the robot was outfitted with a variety of sensors on each hand and foot, according to the Verge. In addition, the ape-like machine possesses force sensors that allow it to detect how it's aligned and moving. Yet the results are pretty astounding. The robot can maintain its footing even when being rocked back and forth on a slope.

The robot moves relatively slowly, crawling along the ground at a stately pace. Yet it's also fluid in its motions. This could allow it to tackle tough terrain that could upset other robots. In fact, DFKI's main goal is to design better ways for robots to move. This could potentially help with sending robots to missions to other planets. For example, the Mars rover Curiosity is limited as to where it can travel due to its wheeled motions. A robot with legs could potentially clamber over tough slopes and terrain that would otherwise be impossible to navigate.

Want to see the robot in action? You can check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.