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| Science & Technology |
| "Toaster on legs" walks 14 miles |
| 2010-07-23 |
| A ROBOT billed as a 'toaster on legs' has smashed a world record -- by walking 14.3 miles in 11 hours. The Ranger, built by US scientists, set the record for 'untethered robotic walking' earlier this month. Guided by students using a remote control, the odd-looking robot strode 108.5 times around a 212m indoor track. It completed about 70,000 steps before it needed a recharge. Andy Ruina, 57, lab manager on the project at New York's Cornell University, said: "The Ranger is nothing special to look at but the motion is rather graceful in a way you don't see in many robots." The Ranger, whose parts alone cost £15,000, took four years to perfect -- but runs on batteries and cost less than 1p to travel four miles. It smashed the previous world record set by Boston Dynamics' BigDog in Boston by 1.5 miles. |
| Posted by:Fred |