Robot Dogs Master Obstacle Courses to Prevent Trips

“Obstacles in the real world can be hard like rocks or soft like vines. We want robots to know how to walk without tripping on both,” said Justin Yim, a professor from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who worked on the project with Carnegie Mellon University.

The engineers tested different ways the robot walked while trying to move across a short path with low-hanging ropes blocking its way. When the robot took big steps or walked with its knees bent forward, it got stuck in the ropes.But when it quickly pulled its legs back after seeing an obstacle, it could easily cross the path without any problems.

“When you use robots outside, it becomes much harder because you have to be really careful with everything,” said David Ologan, a student studying mechanical engineering. “Your robot has to be strong and smart enough to deal with any unexpected things or things that might get in its way. It’s exciting to work on a problem that hasn’t been completely figured out yet.”