a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
In 1974, a hexapod with legs arranged radially about a central vertical axis was made in the Aviation Instrument Institute in St.Petersburg. (Ignatyev et al, 1974). Ignatyev, M., F.M.Kulakov & Mihaeilov, A.(1974). Algorithms for control of robot-manipulators. Mechanics of Machines 46, “Nauka”, Moscow, (in Russian). [RH-2012- The arm on the hexapod is actually the end-effector …
Read More “1972 – Manned Hexapod (Model) – Ignatiev (Soviet)”
The biped walker has been featuring on footage on the history of the Russian moon rover Lunokhod. I extracted those scenes and included in my cobbled together Early Walking Machine compilation video clip on Youtube. Usually shown with footage of other Russian Lunar or Martian Unmanned Rover walking machines. Possibly built at the VNIITRANSMASH, where …
(1904 claims) Skorzewski's Apparatus for Facilitating Walking or Running avoids one of the main causes of muscular fatigue, namely the necessity of a man's lifting his centre of gravity a certain height at every step. During the period of descent there is no compensation for the energy expended. The muscles have to remain strained in …
Read More “1904 – Apparatus for Facilitating Walking or Running – Skorzewski (West Prussian)”
Todd's paper is very readable. See pdf here. Note that although referred to as a "train", Todd appears to have only built one. So the original "train" aspects have been lost. Its interesting to note that "BigDog" does have the concept for a "train", where the lead dog follows its human master, and other 'dogs' …
Read More “1990 – Iron Mule Train – Revisited by D.J. Todd (American)”
from "Walking robot with a circulating gait – Intelligent Robots and Systems – IROS 90. by JE Bares Perhaps the simplest walkers that can travers rough terrain are frame-type walkers. An example is the Komatsu underwater octopod. ReCUS, which consists of two rectangular frames, each with four telescoping legs – the machine walks over rough …
Read More “1976-9 “ReCUS” Underwater Walking Machine – Ishino et al (Japanese)”