THE
WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST ADVANCED COMMERCIAL LEGGED ROBOT RE-WRITES
ROBOTICS RULEBOOKS
RoboScience,
a UK company specialising in commercial robotic technology,
recently launched
its RS-01 RoboDog - the world's most powerful, most advanced and
largest commercial legged robot. Compared to other robotic animals,
such as those produced by Sony, this new invention is the "Formula 1"
of robotic pets.
Technical and design breakthroughs
made during the creation of this remarkable new robot will form the platform for
next-generation lightweight robots that will automate many ordinary
tasks and eliminate human involvement
in high-risk commercial and military environments. Nick Wirth - formerly a
designer of Formula One racing cars and co-founder and
technical director of RoboScience - and a small team of highly-skilled
specialists created the RoboDog in only seven months using a state-of-the-art
computer-aided design tool provided by software house UGS.
Mark Oates,
co-founder and marketing director of Northamptonshire based
RoboScience, said, "All legged robots now for sale are nothing more
than entertainment. This is an advanced computer in animal form - it's
history in the making.
We have done what was thought impossible - creating a robot that is
light and strong, yet large enough to show the true potential of legged
robotics that are genuinely
useful to human life." The RoboDog will be sold as a hand-made limited edition
product tailored to
the customers'
requirements. A maximum of 200 robots will be offered for sale
worldwide over the course of this year at a price of £20,000.
The RoboDog is the
size of an adult Labrador and is powerful enough to raise itself from
the ground carrying a five-year old child. Its sophisticated motor capabilities
and balancing software allow it to climb obstacles and perform handstands,
and its motion and colour detection sensors enable it to find and kick
a football. It connects to the Internet via a wireless network, and can
be controlled from a PC. It can also recognise sixty oral commands.
Production versions
of the RoboDog will allow owners to view locations
remotely via an on-board camera or have
the RoboDog access and read aloud e-mails. The RoboDog is 820mm long,
670mm tall and 370 mm wide and thanks to its advanced carbon-fibre and
Kevlar construction, it weighs only 12kg (26 lbs) and can
operate independently for 1.5 hours.
The manufacturers
intend to licence
elements of the RoboDog technology to companies in fields as diverse as
industrial automation, special effects, security and military services.
Mark Oates adds, "For companies struggling with the limitations of
current robotics technology, this is - quite literally - tomorrow's
world today! This RoboDog also proves that legged robots can now have
the size and power to perform in high-risk environments, whether that
is a power station
or a mine-field. After all, the loss of a robot is an inconvenience;
the death of a human being is a tragedy."
The Robodog has been
designed and developed in a remarkably short space of time. Nick Wirth
says "This is breakthrough technology created at breakneck speed."
WORDS:
breakthrough:
new development - co founder:
one of the creators - customer:
client - formerly: who used to
be - genuine: real, authentic - highly
skilled: extremely competent - in
the making: taking place - inconvenience:
pity, disadvantage - involvement:
participation - launch: put on
the market, begin to sell - lbs:
pounds - licence: allow the use
of - limited edition: made in a
limited number of units - location:
site, situation, place - motor capabilities:
ability to move - perform a handstand:
stand on one's hands, or one's front feet - pet:
domestic animal - platform:
basis - power station: place
where electricity s generated - remotely:
from a distance - state-of-the-art:
most modern possible - tailored to:
adapted to.
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