This is the fastest robot dog in the world at the moment.
A four-legged robot dubbed HOUND just established a new world record for the quickest robot dog. The Dynamic Robot Design and Control Laboratory at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea, developed HOUND. It ran 100 meters in 19.87 seconds and reached a speed of 18.13 kilometers per hour. This performance exhibits an unusual level of agility in a robot.
The robot’s inventor, Young-Ha Shin, described the complex technology behind HOUND. It is outfitted with a motor controller that was taught in simulation using reinforcement learning. In simulation, the four-legged robot can accelerate and run faster than its world record speed, but these speeds have yet to be proven in the real world.
HOUND weighs 45 kilos, which is the same as an adult male American bulldog. Its legs are specifically engineered to be incredibly lightweight for running. The hip and opposing thigh each have a parallel driving module.
The robot can move in a number of ways owing to a pulley system that transfers power to the knee joints. Shin stated that while selecting motors for bipedal robots, quick performance and stability are crucial factors to consider.
In addition to achieving a speed record, HOUND can climb a 22-degree incline, travel 3.2 kilometers, and overcome barriers 35 cm high. Engineers at KAIST will continue to enhance and polish the design of HOUND, making it quicker and more capable of challenging jobs.
