The School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies at the prime Japanese institution, the University of Tokyo, together with the Intelligent Systems Research Institute developed a new bipedal jumping robot that they call Mowgli. This new prototype uses an artificial musculoskeletal system with pneumatic muscles. These make it possible for this bipedal jumping robot to do explosive jumping and land smoothly.
Researchers said that animals that have tapered legs and small foot mass are relatively good in jumping and running. They copied it and developed the musculoskeletal system with which they equipped Mowgli. This system allows Mowgli to jump and land autonomously without any human intervention.
Standing at less than 1 meter tall and weighing only 3 Kg, this Japanese air powered leaping robot has six pneumatic muscles on each leg giving it 6 degrees of freedom or DOF. An off-board computer, which runs on real time OS, controls this bipedal jumping and landing robot. Another off-board system controls its compressed air powered muscles and the electric power system.
Mowgli Features:
U. of Tokyo
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