When creating robots, scientists and engineers are often inspired by nature itself. But robots based on mythical creatures are far from met so often. Moreover, the new creation Centauro, called and in appearance referring us to the creatures of ancient Greek mythology, was created not for the sake of fun, but to save human lives.
According to Engadget, specialists from the Italian Institute of Technology and the University of Bonn are behind the development of the robot. Centauro was based on the earlier Momaro prototype robot. The height of the robocentaur reaches 1.5 meters, and it weighs 93 kilograms. The robot frame is made of light metal alloys, and the “body” is covered with plastic printed on a 3D printer.
Centauro uses 4 legs to move. A wheel is mounted at the end of each leg. At the same time, the robot can both ride these wheels and walk on 4 legs, climbing obstacles. In addition, 2 hands are located on the body of the robot, to which manipulators of different types can be connected, depending on the situation. The robot is equipped with a lidar, cameras for orientation in space, as well as a Microsoft Kinect camera for assessing depth. Battery charge will be enough for 2.5 hours of continuous operation.
This version of the robot is not fully autonomous. Centauro is remotely controlled by the operator, but in the event of a communication break, the robot will be able to continue working on its own. To control the robot, the operator will use an exoskeleton with pedals and manipulator hands. The latter will allow you to control the hands of the robot, and pedals will be required for movement. In addition, to display information, the operator will have to put a VR helmet on his head.
According to the developers, Centauro can easily overcome obstacles thanks to legs with 6 degrees of freedom, as well as lift heavy objects, which is ideal for search and rescue operations. You can see the robot in the case on the video available below.
