Fall-proof robots

RHP2. © University of Tokyo.

Robots are great when they’re up, but once they’re down, they stay down. A team from the University of Tokyo and Kawasaki Heavy Industries has adopted a new approach: fall-proof instead of fall-less. The Robust Humanoid Robot (RHP2) falls over all the time, but keeps getting back up again and carrying on. The humanoid, life-size machine is covered in metal armor protecting it from fall-related damage, and has autonomous behaviors to get itself upright again after a fall. It can be sheathed in a waterproof, fireproof suit to work in disaster sites or wet environments. RHP2 is powered by electric motors and needs an electric tether line, though it will eventually be upgraded to hydraulics

⇨ IEEE SPectrum, “Life-size humanoid robot is designed to fall over (and over and over).”