
Raptor robot runs at 28.58 mph, faster than any human [video] - ca98am79
http://www.kurzweilai.net/kaist-raptor-robot-runs-at-28-58-mph-faster-than-any-human?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=554a4574ea-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6de721fb33-554a4574ea-281895037
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drzaiusapelord
These are really impressive from a mechanical engineering point of view, but
in all these demos the powerplant is not on the frame. Instead, power is fed
via wire, making it stationary. Its a little disingenuous to claim it goes 28
mph when it doesn't even power itself. I'd love to see what real speeds they
can get out of these things with a powerplant installed, especially over mixed
terrain.

Right now, this is like running a Tesla with a very long extension cable and
claiming absurd 0-60 times. Instead, tell me how well it operates with a
battery or an engine and all the extra weight and engineering accouterments
that requires.

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gamerdonkey
I'm going to reply to your comment, as it's currently on top, but several of
the top comments have this same sentiment.

I don't think it's fair to criticize this project harshly because the robot
has external power and a supporting arm to keep it from damaging itself. The
research and development was clearly about the design and actuation of the
legs, and the researches have clearly done well on that front. To require them
to provide onboard power for a system that they don't even know the
requirements for is a little much, in my opinion.

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glesica
_The research and development was clearly about the design and actuation of
the legs..._

OK, but then is it really fair for them to publicize how fast it can run? I
mean, I guess if the challenge is just to be able to move the legs fast
enough, then maybe it is. But then why not publicize the number of steps it
can take per unit of time instead of its speed? Speed is kind of misleading
anyway unless you know how big it is.

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furyofantares
Yes, it is fair to disclose exactly what you've achieved. They've made it run
28.5 mph on a treadmill with off board power and that is exactly what they
disclosed. I guess you are reacting to the comparison to a human that has on
board power. Or maybe it's just the fact that this comparison makes for a
misleading headline. In any case this is probably the least interesting thing
we could be discussing about their progress.

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spindritf
That's a great leg imitation and obstacle tolerance but does it really count
as running when it's permanently attached to a stationary object?

~~~
mattmaroon
I was thinking that too. I bet Usain Bolt could run faster if he had an arm
holding him up.

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Medea
A lot of people seem to take issue with the lag of on-board power. OutRunner i
a running robot with on board power, that have reached some impressive numbers
while running outdoors.

The projekt is on kickstarter right now:
[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/138364285/outrunner-
the...](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/138364285/outrunner-the-worlds-
most-advanced-running-robot)

~~~
rasz_pl
its a WHEEL, stop with the running nonsense

[http://11even.net/wp-content/uploads/Mutant-
bicycles-1.jpg](http://11even.net/wp-content/uploads/Mutant-bicycles-1.jpg)

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trose
I think people are missing the point about the attached boom arm. They're
working on the mechanics of the bipedal motion before worrying about making an
autonomous robot.

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kachnuv_ocasek
Randall Munroe's nightmare has come true.

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anjc
Have you ever created something which requires somewhat esoteric knowledge to
create and understand, and then you show it to someone who doesn't have that
knowledge, and you find yourself disappointed with their reaction, and
disappointed that they don't understand enough to know that they don't
understand? Made up example:

"Hey look, I designed a CPU and created a basic computer and wrote an
OS...it's basic I know but..."

"Can it run Call of Duty? Xbox is better"

"That's not the...point...nm"

That's what this thread feels like. Except I would have expected HN commenters
to have enough insight to know that they don't understand enough to be
commenting.

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mryingster
Link to video. If there was embedded video on that page, it wasn't working for
me. Here is a video I found of it on YouTube:

[http://www.youtube.com/embed/lPEg83vF_Tw](http://www.youtube.com/embed/lPEg83vF_Tw)

I'm a little disappointed that its tethered... Then again, having little
robots that run faster than any human be tethered is probably a good
precaution just in case we ever achieve singularity.... ;)

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dllthomas
Yeah, but Usain Bolt has on-board power.

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VLM
No on-board oxidizer storage. Less than a weeks worth of water storage. Lame.

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dumbfounder
Are we supposed to ignore the arm the "robot" is attached to? Set that thing
out on a road and let it run and I will be impressed.

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iandanforth
Not quite two legs, but you might like this :)
[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2626036/Move-...](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2626036/Move-
Road-Runner-Sprinting-robot-tears-race-track-reaching-speeds-20mph-using-six-
rotating-legs.html)

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Cuuugi
So does a car. Whats your point?

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Shivetya
Simple really, robots will do most physical jobs better than us and society
needs to adapt to that. They will also be used in tasks we find disgusting
like military conflict. Seeing how little real outrage drones deaths are
causing; mostly because of deft political handling of the press; do you think
employing robots against "other people" really is going to be much different?

The best outcome is that the onset of robots doing much of the work is that it
frees enough of the world from economic strife to end the need for warfare.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
Biologicals still have an edge - the power-plant issue. Until batteries get a
LOT better, or fuel cells get cheaper, a person that lives off of peanut
butter and lemonade is a real advantage.

~~~
seacious
Especially since a very active human will only require the energy equivalent
of a liter or two of gas per day.

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mcguire
Is the "dynamic balance control" really a large gyroscope, with rotational
acceleration to control falling forward and backward?

Nonetheless, I was really hoping to see what happens whet it falls down while
running at high speed on the treadmill.

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gioi
28.58 mph == 45.995 km/h [0], BTW.

[0]
[http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=28.58+mph+in+kilometers...](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=28.58+mph+in+kilometers+per+hour)

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Gravityloss
It is surprising that such things have not been created before. It's a few
legs supported on a sideways axis. One would expect it would not have been
hard to do it at least 50 years ago.

But in robotics everything is about 1000x harder than one would naively
assume, it seems. (Judging by how my vacuum robot with a friggin' laser
scanner can't find its docking station from 1 meter away.)

