LEONARDO, also called LEO, was built by researchers at Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies.
Its full name means LEgs ONboARD drOne.
The idea is simple but unusual:
• Build a small biped robot
• Give it drone-style thrust
• Use the legs for ground contact
• Use the propellers for balance and lift
• Combine walking, hopping and flying in one system
LEO is basically a hybrid between a walking robot and a flying drone.
How it was built:
• Two lightweight legs
• Three actuated joints in each leg
• Four propeller thrusters near the shoulders
• A lightweight body
• Leg motors for ground movement
• Propellers for balance, lift and aerial control
• Real-time control software that synchronizes the legs and propellers
How it walks:
• The legs move the robot forward
• The feet touch the ground like a normal biped
• The propellers constantly correct balance from above
• The robot can stay upright even in unstable situations
• The thrust reduces the risk of falling during difficult motions
How it flies:
• The legs stop being the main locomotion system
• The four propellers generate lift
• The robot behaves more like a drone
• It can take off, fly over obstacles and land back on its legs
What makes it different:
• It does not walk like a normal humanoid
• It does not fly like a normal drone
• It blends both systems
• The legs handle contact with the ground
• The propellers act like fast stabilizers
• The control system decides how much help comes from the legs and how much comes from thrust
That is why LEO can:
• Walk
• Hop
• Fly over obstacles
• Ride a skateboard
• Balance on a slackline
The key idea is walking with aerial stabilization.
- Figure started from absolute scratch just four years ago today
- Rapidly iterated vertically integrated platforms for hardware and AI
- This wouldn't happen without a high level of grit and relentless engineering
Next four years are gonna be crazy interesting to watch.
Figure 03 humanoid robot has started performing a logistics workflow at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg
You can read more about it here:
https://t.co/Tner4esm5P