All Images
News Release 05-021
Bipedal Bots Star at AAAS Media Briefing
Novel, energy frugal robots walk like we do
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.
View Video
Researchers at Cornell, MIT and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have developed a new breed of powered, energy efficient, two-legged robots with a surprisingly human gait. By applying concepts rooted in "passive-dynamic walkers"—devices that can walk down a gentle slope powered only by the pull of gravity—the engineers have crafted robots that can walk on level ground, in some cases using as little as one-half the wattage of a standard compact fluorescent light bulb.
Credit: NSF
The Cornell passive-dynamic, powered robot.
Credit: Cornell University
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (5.2 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
A gravity driven, passive-dynamic robot from Cornell, a precursor to the powered passive-dynamic robots.
Credit: Cornell University
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (64 KB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
The MIT passive-dynamic powered robot.
Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (1.1 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
Denise, the Delft University of Technology passive-dynamic robot.
Credit: Delft University of Technology
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (1.1 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
Close-up view of the robot Denise's foot.
Credit: Delft University of Technology
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (116 KB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.