Two-legged robots can now run a half-marathon
Technology
New humanoid runners are using flexible joints to recycle energy, allowing them to maintain a professional athlete's pace for over thirteen miles without stopping.
A bipedal robot recently completed a half-marathon in just forty-eight minutes, maintaining a blistering pace that would leave most amateur human runners in the dust. Developed by engineers in Beijing, these machines utilize specialized hip motors that can pulse five times a second to mimic a human stride. The secret to their endurance isn't just a large battery; it is a system of elastic actuators that act like synthetic tendons, recycling sixty percent of the energy from every footfall.