Dec 20 2010New Year's Resolution, START EXERCISING: 'Athlete', The Running, Jumping Robot
There are creepy pictures, and then there's the picture above. Introducing 'Athlete', the running, jumping robot. Which -- when was the last time you went for a jog again? Because now might be a good time to dust off the Umbros and cross-trainers and hit the sidewalk. Me? I hate exercise so I'm just gonna wait till the robot apocalypse begins and then hit the sidewalk. From twelve stories. Just kidding, I'll totally save you all.
The secret to Athlete is that unlike most every other android out there which uses rotational-joints driven by motors to drive its limbs, Athlete uses air-motors that mimic human muscles. And when we say mimic, we really mean mimic--right down to the muscle pairs in human legs, with roughly the same range of motion. The air motors are also proportional, rather than on-off, so they have a degree of control over the robot's legs that's very close to the way your muscles contract to swing your legs around.
Apparently clumsybot here can only take four steps before faceplanting, but what a quick four steps they are. Unfortunately, the scientists expect to have Athlete up and running(!) long distances in no time. And speaking of long distance relationships: they're hard. Guess how far apart my current lover and I live. 100-million years. It isn't easy!
Hit the jump for a video demonstration of the last thing you'll ever run from (skip to 1:20 for the action).
Athlete, the Robot, Runs Like You Do - May Soon Win the Race [fastcompany]
Thanks to sketch and Carmen, who wouldn't be caught dead competing in a potato-sack race with this jerkbot.
Reader Comments
1. Luna Mystica - December 20, 2010 2:48 PM
W00t
2. Luna Mystica - December 20, 2010 2:50 PM
Also, they better rewrite The Terminator with some fucking running robots.
3. Luna Mystica - December 20, 2010 2:52 PM
...with spatulas as feet!
4. Dishy - December 20, 2010 2:56 PM
@3 lots of feet and shoes in this post. What does it mean?
5. Dishy - December 20, 2010 2:58 PM
What exactly is a jerkbot anyway? (see last word of post)
6. Luna Mystica - December 20, 2010 3:00 PM
@4 That feet are overrated and spatulas are the future! At least that is my interpretation. You are free to have your own vision about this subject though. But when the spatula-terminators are coming, don't say I didn't warn you!
7. Dishy - December 20, 2010 3:03 PM
The dinosaurs are extinct. And in the future, WE"LL be the dinosaurs. Extinct. Kaput. The robots will dig up our bones, put them in museums, assemble them into dioramas.
And some future smart-alec robot will write a blog where he fantasizes about sex with the long-gone humans. One human in particular. That's right, it'll be you GW.
Shoe'll be on the other foot. (Again with the shoes and the feet!)
8. Dishy - December 20, 2010 3:08 PM
@6 Luna Mystica (werewolves must love your name), the terminators will step on us, flattening us like pancakes. And then flip us with their spatulas.
And serve us hot, with butter and maple syrup.
9. corey - December 20, 2010 3:09 PM
pathetic.
10. Leftover blade runner - December 20, 2010 3:10 PM
Those carbon "spatulas" fitted on an athletic amputee can allow him/her to run at 25% less energy use than in an able bodied athlete...just sayin.
11. Tyler - December 20, 2010 3:34 PM
That mofo was runnin' for the door!
...so it could go kill humans!
Good thing that monster was on a leash.
It is only a matter o' time before the ROBO-POCALYPSE is upon us all!
I'm gonna build some cybernetic implants so I can fight back on that day of reckoning.
.....now where did I put my Construx playset.....
12. Luna Mystica - December 20, 2010 3:41 PM
@8 Mmm yum, pancakes. Wait... ain't I forgetting something.
13. Ed - December 20, 2010 4:13 PM
As this scientist is being hunted down by the next generation running robot, he can find cold comfort knowing he designed the thing.
14. mike - December 20, 2010 4:18 PM
i LOVE watching robots fall down. something so simple just makes for a great big laugh. kinda like big dog trying to walk on ice.
as for all those giving up on humanity in the upcoming robot apocalypse- i hope you all die in the first wave. so i don't need to worry about protecting you when i am stomping robos with EMPs, magnetic landmines and liquid corrosives whilst going on missions for the human alliance. my pals will be hacking into their systems and introducing viruses of all types. then, we will go "robot hunting" and capture specimens for us to reprogram and send back to destroy more robots.
SUCK IT ROBOTS. YOUR RUST WILL BE TRODDEN UNDERFOOT.
15. Loki - December 20, 2010 7:56 PM
@ 14. LMAO, I know. The only part of the video I enjoyed was when it fell down.
16. T-tays @3< - December 20, 2010 9:58 PM
You'd think that scientists capable of making a running robot (even one that Roomba would call retarded) could make height measurements that were A) level and B) don't look like they were made by a five year old with some electrical tape.
17. Amnion - December 21, 2010 1:27 AM
@14 when a robot falls down is when it realises it doesn't need to chase you, and can blow you away at range with a standard handgun and it's superior targetting ability.
18. greg - December 21, 2010 8:35 AM
are robots smart?
i dont think so
they look so stupid
lol
kiddin
but its stupid
19. http://www.ConfessionsOfAManwhore.com - December 21, 2010 11:34 AM
since when is a nonfunctional piece of sheit news? hey look everyone i made something and it sucks, so im gonna make it into news!
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21. Gundamdesign - December 22, 2010 8:28 AM
That robot is QWOPing
22. ieruet - December 22, 2010 8:36 AM
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23. Eddie Stylez - December 23, 2010 1:21 AM
for some reason this reminded me of the Geth from Mass Effect... hmm...
24. Beeg - March 15, 2011 5:42 PM
Athlete, the Robot, Trips Like You Do - May Soon lose the Race