M4 | The Bioinspired Robot Exhibits Flight, Rolling, Walking, and Additional Capabilities
The new robot M4 can roll on four wheels, turn its wheels into rotors and fly, stand on two wheels like a meerkat to peer over obstacles, "walk" by using its wheels like feet, use two rotors to help it roll up steep slopes on two wheels, tumble, and more. A robot with such a broad set of capabilities would have applications ranging from the transport of injured people to a hospital to the exploration of other planets. Watch on YouTube The robot's flexibility of motion, coupled with artificial intelligence, allows it to choose what form of locomotion will be most effective based on the terrain ahead of it. Picture the M4 exploring an unfamiliar environment: it might start by rolling along on four wheels, which is its most energy-efficient mode. Upon reaching an obstacle like a boulder, it could stand on two wheels to peer over it for a clearer picture of the ground ahead. Then, if it saw a ravine or another feature that a wheeled robot could not traverse, it could reconfi...