Robots are really cool, but before they can start selling robots that will clean our houses and tend to our kids, they have to perfect them and make them safe and robust. Part of keeping an expensive robot safe is teaching it how to fall without cracking its shiny metal butt open. Such is the task of researchers from Georgia Tech.
These researchers have created an algorithm that teaches robots how to fall with grace. This is something that people do (more or less) thanks to instincts that are ingrained in us to prevent injury. Robots don’t have that instinct, so they have to be taught.
The algorithm teaches the ‘bots techniques to prevent falls, and to lessen the impact when one can’t be prevented. From falling with hands out to break the fall to taking a single step to stabilize themselves, the algorithm is effective. Watch the video to see some robots get pushed down.
[via Georgia Tech]
