You know you have to sit up straight and more often than not will end up at the edge of the seat when it comes to Boston Dynamics and their high-performance robots. The leaked footage of their latest robot Handle is nothing short of that, as the engineers at Boston Dynamics have found a way to improve a legged robot design’s capability by adding a pair of wheels to their new high-tech self-balancing robot.
Venture Capitalist Steve Jurvetson, was given a presentation by Boston Dynamics’ founder Marc Raibert who revealed the company’s new two-legged robot called Handle. The presentation included a video showing the bot with a pair of wheels balancing like a pro and performing pretty awesome tricks and tasks.
Boston Dynamics have been focused on making legged robots as they are ideal for exploration on rough terrains. But Handle’s introduction seems to be a step towards the wheeled domain, as the robot rolled on smooth surfaces effortlessly due to minimal resistance. Using wheels instead of articulated legs means that Handle can move much faster and more efficiently, and most probably can be used in a factory or warehouse floor where there is no rubble or debris to worry about. But the wheeled robot was still able to tackle some obstacles by jumping over a short wall, adding to its impressive skill set.
The robot is designed to carry around heavy objects and use its self-balancing ability to handle the tasks without falling over. Raibert also mentioned that the wheels allow the robot to be available at a much lower price than Boston Dynamics’ other two-legged creations, making it a win-win for both the company and the investors.
Watch the exclusive leaked video below!
