walking

11.22.09

Robots Borrow Hydro-Repelling Tech from Insect Legs to Walk on Water

Coming soon: surfaces that never need cleaning, and the messiahbot

By Val Wang Posted 06.02.2009 at 10:19 am 6 Comments

A robot that can walk on water: such a miracle is one step closer to reality, thanks to some new research that learns from the work nature has done with water striders. Walking on water may seem like a superpower and the name scientists have give the property of the striders' legs is fitting: super-hydrophobia.

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READ MORE ABOUT > biomimicry, legs, movement, repulsion force, robots, walking, water

The Future of Legs

Popular Science gets a sneak preview of Honda's computerized "walking assist devices"

By Paul Adams Posted 04.14.2009 at 4:11 pm 8 Comments

Like any good New Yorker, I love to walk, but as a group of Popular Science editors strolled back to the office today from a hands-on demo of Honda's latest prototype, we felt sadly ... pedestrian. We had gone to see a team of Japanese engineers from the company proudly showing off their new mobility technology -- a pair of wearable robotic "Walking Assist Devices." Strapping the powered gadgets to our legs felt silly, but after taking them off, the sensation of being cast back among unaugmented humans, forced to walk completely under our own primitive power, was a distinct comedown.

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READ MORE ABOUT > gadget news, health, honda, medical devices, mobility, prosthetics, robots, walking