

Multi-purpose wings allow flying robot to walk across rough terrain - robotgal
http://robohub.org/multi-purpose-wings-allow-flying-robot-to-walk-across-rough-terrain/

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sp332
_The prototype shown in the video above can move forward at 0.2 m /s (0.7
BL/s)_

What is a BL/s? Body-length per second?

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robotgal
That's right.

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theon144
I kind of fail to see the advantage of being able to walk given that the robot
can fly - I'm sure there are some, but I can't think of any.

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im3w1l
Maybe it could lower energy use.

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oh_teh_meows
Imagine this being used on commercial aircrafts...

Captain: We have now landed at SFO. We will now _taxi_ to gate A3.

Passengers: OH CRAP. _bumps up and down_

But in all seriousness, this could be a precursor to a more fluid form of wing
morphing, i.e. without joints. Sort of like Eddy in Stealth, which morph its
wings to direct jet exhaust downwards to create vertical lift.

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ryandoom
I've fallen and I can't get up! Looks cool, but based on the design once it's
on the ground I can't see how it could generate enough airspeed for lift to
get back in the air.

Designed for single use ?

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dkokelley
I imagine a good use case could be for search and rescue in rough/inaccessible
terrain. Imagine a building has collapsed trapping people inside. A flight-
capable vehicle could quickly navigate to the area, and once it reaches the
rubble, it can crawl in, searching for survivors.

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hallieatrobohub
This project uses a unique design approach called 'adaptive morphology', where
one part of a robot’s structure is adaptable and shared between different
modes of operation. Cool!

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markcmyers
Awkward gait, brilliantly elegant design.

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codezero
Looks a bit like a bat when they are on the ground, pretty interesting stuff.

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andrewflnr
Now that you mention it, if any aircraft in the history of mankind deserves
the name "Bat Wing", this is it.

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PhasmaFelis
We have achieved real, functional, practical Transformers. Everyone can retire
now; Science is over.

