You can also use it to skateboard or slackline.
Take it off me
Caltech researchers have created a creepy robot capable of walking on two wheels and flying to enter the world.
The fearsome biped, known as LEONARD (LEgsONboARD drone), is basically the bottom half a humanoid robot that's strapped to a flying drone.
Researchers didn't set out to create the next mass-marketable invention. They wanted to explore new locomotion methods for robots that could be used to do dangerous jobs or reach difficult-to-reach areas.
Did we mention that it can also skateboard and slackline?
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Like a bird
The team suggests that the creepy invention could be used to transport equipment to other worlds like Mars and Saturn's moon Titan.
Soon-Jo Chung (corresponding author of the Science Robotics paper this week) stated that we were inspired by nature.
Chung said that birds can move between flying and walking in a complex but fascinating way. This was something we wanted to learn and understand.
The team had to find a way to save enough energy for the bot to fly and still cover some distance on the ground.
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According to Patrick Spieler (co-lead author), LEO can choose to fly or walk depending on the obstacles it must traverse.
LEO can also perform unusual locomotion maneuvers, which even humans need to master, such as walking on a skateboard or walking on a slackline.
The team plans to reduce LEO's weight and increase thrust of its propellers in order to cover more ground.
We needed it: an apocalyptic drone capable of flying and running to catch up with us.
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READ MORE: LEONARDO the Bipedal Robot Can Ride a Skateboard, and Walk a Slackline [Caltech]
More robots: Singaporeans Furious at Robot Cops Who Lecture People on Social Distancing
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