The four-legged robot was able to tow a plane weighing 3.3 tons
Not only Boston Dynamics is developing robots, although this company has achieved very significant success. The other day it became known about the project of another company that creates externally similar systems.
Developers from the Italian Institute of Technology at the ICDA 2019 conference announced the completion of work on the creation of a four-legged hydraulic robot , called HyQReal. It is called hydraulic because its limbs are hydraulically driven.
During the tests, this robot was able to tow a passenger aircraft Piaggio P180 Avanti weighing 3.3 tons. Done, of course, to attract attention. Despite the weight of the aircraft, it all depends on the resistance of the rubber tires of the landing gear when moving the vehicle. On the other hand, it is clear that the robot is very strong, since it was able to budge such a whopper - hardly the usual mechanism is capable of this.
Italians have been working on this project since 2007. Each year they demonstrate intermediate achievements, but now they have shown the final result. It is worth noting that the device is able to make its way thanks to visual data.
It was decided to choose a hydraulic drive because it allows you to develop much greater power than that of electric servos. Yes, the latter are more functional, but in some cases you have to sacrifice something for the sake of overall success.
The robot is very small, its length is only 1.33 meters and its height is 0.9 meters. The weight of the device is 130 kilograms, power is supplied from a 48-volt battery. Well, the system controls 2 computers. The first collects and processes visual data, the second - analyzes the information received and sets the robot in motion.
The hydraulic system is based on four electric motors that drive the hydraulic pumps. And they, in turn, create the pressure necessary for the operation of the movement system.
Testing the robot, it was decided to conduct at the airport of Genoa, Italy. During the checks, the robot was able to budge and tow a 14.4-meter-long aircraft and a wingspan of 14 meters. The Italians created their robot, first of all, to perform work in complex regions - for example, where a disaster, earthquake, volcanic eruption or something else happened recently. The robot can search for people, drag and drop loads, open doors and perform other functions.
As for the aforementioned company, Boston Dynamics, it also excelled. 10 SpotMini robots were able to transport a truck on the road without any problems.
The developers said that all the robots that took part in the filming came off the assembly line of the company. Now Boston Dynamics continues to produce these robots, having established mass production. The company hopes to sell them to partners for a variety of tasks - from transporting goods to reconnaissance over rough terrain.
So far, the cost of the devices is unknown - neither a robot from an Italian company, nor robots from an American one. Nevertheless, everything is going to ensure that such systems will soon be used in production and in other areas. Of course, the popularity of such systems depends on the price factor - if the cost is too high, then it is unlikely that they will diverge in the thousands, because we must not forget that robots require preventive maintenance, which requires funds.