It is the age of the machines, especially those that don’t exist in the realms of mundane imagination. Kudos to H.G. Wells, for conjuring up the concept of three-legged acrobatic robots, comes up with an idea inspiring the creation of STriDER (Self-excited Tripedal Dynamic Experimental Robot) — a mean machine that knows how to ‘watch its step’. With a ‘swing’ gait claimed by US scientists as – ‘closer to that of a human walking than most bipedal humanoid robots you see today’, the STriDER can flip its body upside down with every step to preserve energy. So, when the robot has to take a step forward, it shifts its weight to two of its legs and then uses the third to balance itself as it flips 180 degrees to retain its stability in the tripod position. The basic idea of using a tripod concept is to eliminate the need to control every single limb individually. At the same time, the direction can also be changed with minimum effort. Eccentrically shaped, the tripod stands 1.8 metres tall (prototype). The latest version is only half as tall as its mother design. The robot will be used for the deployment of sensors and cameras in remote areas. Unlike other robots, the STriDER can step over obstacles with ease and rest in a less-energy consuming stance. For a video demonstration of the robot, click on the ‘video’ link below. Via:newscientist Image Video