The group of student engineers from ETH Zurich (Switzerland) managed to brilliantly solve the fundamental problem: how to teach a wheeled machine to climb the stairs? Their development, second generation robot Ascento, has two limbs, crowned wheels. But they can work in feet – the robot rolls on flat terrain and easy jumps obstacles.
The difference between the new model and the previous modified balancing mechanism. Each of the legs of the robot operates autonomously, can be straightened to a considerable distance and accurately responds to contacts with objects. This allows for the movement of the legs to absorb shocks, to maintain balance while falling and balance in various postures, and during movement.
Maximum weight of the robot with payload – 10 kg. With weight it has a top speed of 5 km/h and can jump up to 0.4 m in height. On a single charge Ascento 2 runs up to 1.5 hours. The robot has a remote control, but the developers have already almost brought to mind an offline mode when the orientation of the terrain in addition to cameras use different sensors.
Source — ETH Zurich