a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Kinetic Sciences Inc. (1995) developed a tentacular robot, powered by a hybrid system of pneumatic bellows and electric motors. It can extend, contract and bend in 6 dof by using tendons threaded through cable guides. Tentacle-like manipulators with adjustable tension lines by Guy Immega Patent number: 5317952 Filing date: Dec 14, 1992 Issue date: Jun …
Read More “1995 – KSI Tentacle Manipulator – Immega and Antonelli (American)”
A Six Degrees-of-Freedom parallel inflatable robot. Patricia Dombiak (Ben-Horin), Moshe Shoham and Gershon Grossman. Little is known about this robot. It was built as part of her Masters Thesis. P. Ben-Horin, M.Sc., "A Six Degrees-of-Freedom Parallel Robot with Three Planarly Actuated Links", 1994. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical engineering, The Kahn …
Read More “1994 – Inflatable Robot – Patricia Dombiak (Ben-Horin) et al (Israeli)”
Life-size Humanoid Walking Robots One of the hardest things to do in robotics is build a 2-legged robot. These robots, made from balsa wood and paper, use the lifting power provided by helium balloons or propellors to leverage themselved upright and activated via remote control. They seem to wander about with a mind of their own. …
Read More “2007 – Balloon-assisted Walking Robots – Simon Yates (Australian)”
Two Flying Humanoids successfully tested over downtown Austin, June 5, '99. Sponsored by the Austin Museum of Art's Robots Live! program. These were quite large – see the drawing of a person for comparison. Source: http://www.main.org/polycosmos/android/flyer/mrpeanut.htm The Humanoid Airship A "flying peanut" winged humanoid robot is under development for the opening of Austin's new airport. …
Read More “1999 – “Mr. Peanut” the Flying Android – David Santos (American)”
Bipedal Ornithopter in flight. Parts. Source: http://web.archive.org/web/19961114042310/http://robotgroup.org/projects/Roboblimp.html Bipedal Onithopter UAV By David Santos It runs on two legs, flaps wings to take flight, and flys nimbly about the nooks and crannies of urban landscapes. Featured on the Discovery Channel's, Invention Series, ABC's Good Morning America, and Newsweek magazine. The blimp is a 12-foot-long airship with running legs …
Read More “1990 – Bipedal Ornithopter – David Santos (American)”