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Because imagination is more important than knowledge.

Archive for May 2nd, 2008

Walk the line

Posted by Mr. Buracas on 2008-05-02

A robot (yes, shocking, I know) has achieved a new world record: for walking.  Here it is, the Cornell Ranger robot:

 

Doesn’t look like much, does it?  A walking saw horse.  The eyes and shoulder pads are purely cosmetic.

However, from CyberneticNews.com, we get this:

We’re not sure what brand of batteries it was using, but the Cornell Ranger robot just kept going and going April 3 when it set an unofficial world record by walking nonstop for 45 laps — a little over 9 kilometers or 5.6 miles — around the Barton Hall running track.

Developed by a team of students working with Andy Ruina, Cornell professor of theoretical and applied mechanics, the robot walked (and walked) until it finally stopped and fell backward, perhaps because its battery ran down. “We need to do some careful analysis to find out for sure,” said Greg Stiesberg, a graduate student on the team.

 

Here’s a short video of the spectacle. It’s a funny one.

 

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