Top 5 Cool Robots On Earth

Bionic robots are designed by scientists in the recent years based on the structure and behavior of animals to help humans in many ways like checking pollution, spying, exploring the space etc. Here are some of the popular Cool Robots robo-animals that behave like real ones.

Cool Robots: Robotic Dog(BigDog)

BigDog can carry four infantry backpacks while keeping its balance over different type of terrains. BigDog can walk through mud, over slippery snow, over rocks, up a hill, and even keeps itself from toppling over when it’s being kicked! BigDog stands about waist high, can carry 165 lbs (75 kg), can walk through most terrain and can always keep its balance. The on-board computer controls locomotion, monitors external & internal sensors and keeps itself balanced. A gasoline engine powers BigDog’s hydraulic system for actuating the hydraulically controlled legs.

BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system that powers its legs. BigDog’s size is that of a large dog or a mule and it measures 1 meter (3.28 feet) long, 0.7 meters (2.29 feet) tall and 75 kg (165 lbs) in weight. Its legs have complaint elements that are able to absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next, while it gets the main power from the gasoline engine.

Cool Robots: Robotic Penguin

AirPenguin is an agile and maneuverable autonomous flying object that comprises a helium filled balloon and has a pyramid-shaped flexible structure of four carbon fiber rods at each end.

Not only is this but the AirPenguins also flaps wings as the birds do. This is made possible via new type of wing span that can produce forward or reverse thrust and 3D Fin Ray structure. Wings are controlled by two actuators wherein flapping actuator helps up and down movements and a further unit that displaces the wing struts to alter the pressure point of the wings.

Also, there is a rotational actuator for the two flapping wings, directing thrust upwards or downwards, thus making the AirPenguins rise or descend accordingly. Well, all these things together give Penguins a new birth with the ability to fly.

Cool Robots: AirJelly: Robotic Jelly Fish

Airjelly is the name of amzaing bionic robots designed by Festo - the same company that brought us the Air Ray robot last year, has developed yet another graceful robot inspired by a creature of the sea. In fact, they have developed two versions, both based on the common jellyfish: the AquaJelly and the AirJelly. According to Festo, the AquaJelly is "an artificial autonomous jellyfish with an electric drive and an intelligent, adaptive mechanical system." Apparently the idea is to have several of the robots autonomously working together using a communication system composed of Zigbee short-range radio on the surface and LEDs when underwater. More info and videos after the break.

As for the AirJelly, this remote controlled device can glide through the air using a helium-filled ballonet, a central electric drive and an intelligent, adaptive mechanical system. Apparently, this design offers "fascinating possibilities for "lighter-than-air" aviation." I'm not sure about all of that, but I can at see how the technology behind the AquaJelly could have some practical application on complex underwater projects. Still, practical or not, these robots are pretty damn interesting to watch in action, as the videos below illustrate. Check out the press release for full details.

Cool Robots: Robotic Fish

"A robotic fish developed by scientists from Essex University is put through its paces in a special tank at the London Aquarium. It works via sensors and has autonomous navigational control.”

British scientists, explicitly, researchers at University of Essex, plan to put a lot of robot fish into the sea off north Spain to identify pollution. Using Wi-Fi technology, data collected can be broadcast to the port's main center. The battery on every fish can last about 8 hours and alike to the Roomba vacuum cleaning robots, they are smart enough to go back to a "charging hub" to get recharged when battery runs low. The cost for making one of these robot fish is around L20,000 (approximately $29,000), so it is surely not low-priced.


Cool Robots: Robotic Snake

A robotic snake swimming at the Odensee Robot Festival, August 2007. The control system of Robotic Snake is an advanced one. Each joint unit has CPU, battery, motors, so they can operate independently.

Through communication lines each unit exchanges signals and automatically recognizes its number from the head, and how many units join the system. Thanks to this system operators can remove, add, and exchange units freely and they can operate Robotic Snake flexibly according to situations.

Top 5 Cool Robots On Earth

Check more humanoid robots, military robots, and cool Japanese robots on CoolRobots.Net