From Superinnovators 05/02/24
Mochibot, a spherical robot equipped with 32 individually actuated telescoping legs, was unveiled by researchers from Keio University and the University of Tokyo in 2018.
Named after round Japanese Mochi sweets, it utilises a rhombic triacontahedron shape for omnidirectional movement, achieving stability through deformability and ground contact adjustment.
Each leg can extend or contract, allowing Mochibot to alter its shape for smooth, continuous movement in any direction, with a maximum diameter of one metre and a weight of 10 kg.
The research, aiming to enhance planetary exploration and disaster response capabilities, was presented at IROS 2018 in Madrid, Spain in the paper titled “Continuous Shape Changing Locomotion of 32-Legged Spherical Robot.”
More info:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/32-legged-spherical-robot-moves-like-an-amoeba
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8593791
More info
https://spectrum.ieee.org/32-legged-spherical-robot-moves-like-an-amoeba
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8593791
