• Health
  • Science
  • U.S.
  • Technology
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Sports

Building a Better World

News and information

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Our Team

Meet HERMES, the world’s most-coordinated walking robot

August 12, 2015 By Adrienne Dean

Meet HERMES, the world’s most-coordinated walking robot

Later-generation HERMES robots may be used a first responders to disaster sites.

Meet the latest robotic wonder to emerge from MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering: the surprisingly puppet-like HERMES. Unlike its predecessors, HERMES’s actions are controlled by a human being wearing an exoskeleton of wires and motors.  Each human movement is translated instantly to HERMES, much like a puppeteer controlling his marionette.

One potential use for HERMES is as a first responder to disaster sites. Under the guidance of a human operator from a remote location, HERMES would be able to explore the affected area. The research was partially funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

“We’d eventually have someone wearing a full-body suit and goggles, so he can feel and see everything the robot does, and vice versa,” says PhD student Joao Ramos. “We plan to have the robot walk as a quadruped, then stand up on two feet to do difficult manipulation tasks such as open a door or clear an obstacle.”

HERMES’ design allows it to take advantage of a human’s split-second reflexes, which gives it a much faster reaction time in terms of adjusting its balance than it would have based on visual feedback from onboard cameras.

Additionally, its unique balance-feedback interface allows its human controller to remotely feel the robot’s shifting weight and quickly adjust the robot’s balance by shifting his own weight. As a result, the robot can carry out momentum-driven tasks — like punching through walls, or swinging a bat — while maintaining its balance.

“We’d like to use the human’s natural reflexes and coordination,” explains Ramos. “An example is walking, which is just a process of falling and catching yourself. That’s something that feels effortless to us, but it’s challenging to program into a robot to do it both dynamically and efficiently. We want to explore how humans can take over complex actions for the robot.”

Sharing

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Science

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Facebookrss

Search:

Recent Posts

  • NASA’s InSight spacecraft makes important course correction May 26, 2018
  • Scientists outraged at latest Trump decision May 15, 2018
  • Huge uproar erupts over major incident at Utah park May 13, 2018
  • Incredible moon discovery stuns scientists May 12, 2018
  • Authorities shocked by discovery about common painkiller May 6, 2018
  • Outrageous crocodile experiment stuns scientists May 5, 2018
  • Great Barrier Reef is too quiet, scientists say May 1, 2018
  • Massive Hiroshima bomb discovery shocks scientists May 1, 2018
  • Earth will be slammed by massive asteroid April 29, 2018
  • Teens are doing something incredibly alarming in schools April 29, 2018
  • Huge discovery in Tasmania stuns scientists April 28, 2018
  • Shocking discovery in New Jersey stuns authorities April 22, 2018
  • Huge volcanic explosion could wipe out the United States April 21, 2018
  • Huge controversy erupts over world’s hottest pepper April 15, 2018
  • SpaceX is about to do something astonishing April 15, 2018

Copyright © 2022 Jones Kilmartin Group, LLC · Metro Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress