We are still at the point of robotics where engineers are throwing things at the wall and trying to find a design that sticks. That seems to be the best explanation for why Kawasaki created a four-legged walking Ibex that can haul cargo or passengers.
At the iREX in Tokyo this past week, Bex was revealed as an extension of the Kaleido program, which has been working on developing bi-pedal humanoid robots.
It's obvious that Boston Dynamics is trying to develop a bipedal robot that is stable on two feet, but it's not easy. That is what led to the creation of Bex. The engineers at Kawasaki were looking for a happy medium between the dexterity of a bipedal robot that can traverse a variety of terrains with the reliability of a wheeled robot that avoids issues with balance by keeping all of its wheels on the ground at all times.
When speed is a priority and route planning can take advantage of smooth, paved surfaces, the Bex robot is able to lower its body and kneel on four pairs of wheels, turning it into an electric scooter of sorts. The Bex is able to stand and maneuver on four legs using a gait that ensures at least half of them are touching the ground at any given time, greatly reducing the balancing act it needs to perform.
The Bex has a cargo capacity of 220 pounds, so it can carry both heavy materials and passengers who steer the quadruped using a traditional pair of handlebars. The upper portion of the Bex has been designed to be completely modular so that it can be used for many different purposes. Customers who want to focus on carrying cargo can do away with the animal theme altogether, while those who see an opportunity to update their cattle ranches could potentially go full equestrian with this robot and bring the cowpoke into the 21st century.
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