In an article published in Science Robotics in April 2024, Samuel A. Burden and his co-authors explore the question of why animals can outrun robots. In their abstract they write: “Animals are much better at running than robots. The difference in performance arises in the important dimensions of agility, range, and robustness. To understand the underlying causes for this performance gap, we compare natural and artificial technologies in the five subsystems critical for running: power, frame, actuation, sensing, and control. With few exceptions, engineering technologies meet or exceed the performance of their biological counterparts. We conclude that biology’s advantage over engineering arises from better integration of subsystems, and we identify four fundamental obstacles that roboticists must overcome. Toward this goal, we highlight promising research directions that have outsized potential to help future running robots achieve animal-level performance.” (Abstract) The article was published at a time when the market for robotic four-legged friends is exploding. Spot, Unitree Go2 and many others can certainly compete with some animals when it comes to running. But when it comes to suppleness and elegance, further progress is still needed.
BY OLIVER BENDEL
