Watch the robotic cheetah created by MIT researchers in action
No, you're not in the grasslands of East Africa, but rather the campus of MIT. And that's not an actual cheetah, but a robotic one that as of right now can go up to 10 mph.
Researchers at MIT studied cheetahs to see how they run in nature, and then created a robotic version that serves as "inspiration" for future engineering projects, says Sangbae Kim, associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. "For example, we can create a prosthetic leg or we can make new transportation, replacing cars."
To get the cheetah moving, researchers have developed an algorithm that determines "the amount of force the bot's custom high-torque electrical motors deliver, which in turn controls how fast the robot runs and how high it leaps," Engadget explains. This version of the robotic cheetah can jump over 33 centimeters, and is quieter because it is electrically-powered. Kim believes this is only the beginning for robots. "I think this is a really exciting future, where robots can be more quiet, efficient and also powerful, and you might even be able to see the muscle performance in the future," he said. Watch the video below to gain more insight into the robotic cheetah and how it works. --Catherine Garcia
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
American Airlines pilots are warning of a 'significant spike' in safety issues
In the Spotlight The pilot's union listed 'problematic trends' they say are affecting the airline's fleet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
6 star-spangled presidential libraries to visit
The Week Recommends These institutions provide insight into American leaders
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Amazon ending 'Just Walk Out' grocery checkout
Speed Read In its place, the company will let customers scan while they shop with Amazon Dash Cart
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justice Department bites Apple with iPhone suit
Speed Read The lawsuit alleges that the tech company monopolized the smartphone industry
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
House votes to force TikTok to sell or face US ban
speed read The House passed a bill to ban TikTok on national security grounds unless it sells to a non-Chinese company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Apple kills its secret electric car project
Speed Read Many of the people from Project Titan are being reassigned to work on generative AI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cellphone use may be lowering sperm count
Speed Read Electromagnetic radiation could be affecting male fertility
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Nasa reveals first findings from asteroid that could explain origins of life
Speed Read Sample from Bennu has been found to contain an abundance of water and carbon
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published
-
NYPD to monitor Labor Day parties using surveillance drones
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Is the era of robotaxis over before it ever really started?
Talking Point As the nascent self-driving ride service industry gears up to expand beyond San Francisco, some tech and transportation experts say it's time to pump the breaks
By Rafi Schwartz Published