A robot that looks like a giant insect is taking its first steps, advancing cautiously on its crutch-like limbs. The six-legged bot, known as Hector, can move each of its legs independently, which allows it to tackle a wider range of surfaces than other similar-bodied robots that typically walk by moving three legs at a time.
Using the stick insect as their model, Axel Schneider from Bielefeld University in Germany and his team have developed a lightweight shell attached to legs containing 18 elastic joints to mimic muscles. The legs are programmed to swing or remain still by a few simple rules.
Because each leg can be raised to a different height, Hector can easily tread over uneven terrain, like surfaces covered with pebbles. It can also climb over obstacles by using sensors to detect if a leg is collision-prone so that it can be lifted out of the way (see video).
At the moment, Hector is fitted with short-range cameras and sensors that provide information about its body position and immediate surroundings. But the team is working on adding longer-range sensors to better mimic the abilities of' real insects. The improved prototype should be a useful tool for biologists studying animal locomotion.
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