Robot makers have taken a lesson from a children’s toy to create machines that walk with the efficiency of humans. The toy penguins that provided the inspiration date from the 19th century. They can waddle down a ramp powered by nothing more than gravity without toppling over. The researchers realised that if their robots were as well balanced, they could simplify a robot’s walking control system.
Previous attempts to build walking robots, such as Honda’s Asimo, rely on controlling every aspect of the robot’s movement. As a result, these robots use about 10 times as much power to walk as…
