Developed by Boston Dynamics, RiSE is a climbing robot that is capable of climbing vertical terrain like trees, walls as well as fences. The six-legged robot utilizes its feet with micro-claws for climbing on rough or textured surfaces. A special feature of the robot is its ability to change posture for conforming to the climbing surface’s curvature while using its tail to maintain balance on steep slopes. With a length of 0.25 m and a weight of 2 kg, RiSE can travel up to 0.3 m/s.
The robot’s legs are powered by electric motors. An onboard computer is used for controlling leg motion, managing communications while servicing various sensors, which include joint position sensors, foot contact sensors and leg strain sensors.
Boston Dynamics partnered with the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Lewis and Clark University to develop RiSE. Moreover, DARPA funded the robot’s development.