University of Michigan’s MARLO Robot Looks Like It Is Taking a Sobriety Test on a Hilly Field

By: | July 9th, 2016

Michigan Robotics: Dynamic Legged Locomotion Lab

The Dynamic Legged Locomotion Lab from the University of Michigan has developed a walking robot, similar to but not as advanced as the Atlas Robot from Boston Dynamics.

In a recent test for their MARLO robot, the team of Michigan engineers designed what I would describe as a hilly field to see how well MARLO could keep its balance while stumbling across uneven terrain.

The hilly field is actually called the Wave Field, and it is meant to experiment with MARLO’s gait algorithms.

The first test for MARLO robot didn’t go so smoothly as it looks like its taking a sobriety test with a BAC of .30, but maybe the next time will be the charm.

MARLO was tasked with traversing the Wave Field’s two-to-three-foot mounds, an extremely tough task for any robot, specifically one on its first go-round with the course.

If MARLO robot learned anything during its drunk-looking, hilly test…if at first you don’t succeed, pick yourself (with human help) up and try again.

Marshall Smith

Technology, engineering, and design enthusiast.

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