X-RHex Lite robot has a tail which is not vestigial

Now here is a robot that you might be interested in – the X-RHex Lite robot which will come with a tail of its own, and it has its roots based on the RHex, which is UPenn’s original hexapod robot, albeit this particular robot would have shed some weight, while coming in a far more modular form factor. The actuated tail also adds to its uniqueness, allowing the X-RHex Lite robot to right its own position while it is in mid-air when dropped at different angles, in addition to helping it maintain its balance and orientation as it makes its way off a ledge. Sounds like a cat who, most of the time, ends up landing on all of its legs, no?

The X-RHex Lite robot will tip the scales at 8.1kg, which is rather hefty considering how its inspiration, the original Tailbot weighed a mere 177 grams in comparison. The X-RHex Lite robot makes history as it is actually a transition point between proof-of-concept, and could eventually end up as an operational platform for the masses.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Robots
Tags: Robot