I found an interesting article today on New Scientist, dealing with a new development in robotics. As the inventor points out, most robots either use multiple legs, or multiple balls, to get around.
His invention, the Ballbot, uses just one ball. Obviously computers work out the balancing act, and then use small balls on the bottom to push against the single large ball, keeping it upright. The Ballbot itself is 1.5m tall, about the height of an average human let’s say. Of course, imagine it clothed in a shell to make it more acceptable to us, and you have something from Robotz.
There are two videos of the Ballbot to watch, one of the Ballbot’s reaction to being pushed (moving back and balancing itself), and the second one of the Ballbot moving from one spot to another.
Leave a Reply