RoboDevelopment: Galileo Hybrid Tracked Robot
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Monday, 12 of November , 2007 at 2:26 am
I spotted this little tankbot at RoboDevelopment. His most notable feature is his treaded wheels, which can change their shape to adapt to terrain. The track itself is made of a stretchy material, and the bot can change its tracks from circular to… um… a sort of trapezoid (I guess) by deploying tread extenders from inside the wheels:
Wheels are good for going fast and for maneuvering, while tracks are good for traction and maximizing weight distribution to move over rough terrain. This bot does both, on the fly. Its tail includes a guidance camera, and also serves as a lever of sorts to help balance the robot and help it get over obstacles taller than itself. The Galileo wheel technology is being marketed to the military, agricultural machinery, and might also be a good way to drive a wheelchair, thanks to its ability to climb stairs. Personally, I’m hoping for a set of Galileo winter tires for my car.
[ Galileo ]
Category: Transforming, Consumer
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