We as humans are slowly but surely mastering the art of robotics to the point where we can now create a cube that moves and balances on its own. Usually when a robot is created to move around, a cube design isn't the first thing that comes to mind. However, researchers in Switzerland have done just that.
It's called Cubli, and it measures 6-inches on each side and possesses the ability to move around by flipping itself over continually. Impressively enough, Cubli can also balance itself on each of its sides, or even on a single corner. Furthermore, the little cube robot can balance itself on a tilted surface, which makes us wonder what future holds for robotics in the years to come.
Despite being a moving cube, Cubli still relies on a series of wheels on the inside of the device to get going. Apparently, the device has 3 internal wheels that spins slower or faster to maintain the right amount of momentum to keep the robot balanced. In addition, by quickly halting the cube wheel, the device can quickly flip over, causing it to move in any direction.
Cubli researchers at Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control, claim that the hardware technology inside is similar to what satellites use to keep stable in space. Furthermore, several organizations are taking an interest in the technology for the purpose of implementing it into robots for planetary exploration in outer space.
We could one day see this technology advance in a way to be used in military robots or even consumer robotics such as the Roomba or Neato automated house cleaning robots. The possibilities are endless where this technology is concerned, and we're excited to have lived long enough to see it in its early stages of development.
MIT researchers demonstrated another use for robots such this one back in the month of October. These robots were able to reassemble themselves, something we have never witnessed a robot doing outside of science fiction movies.
