Ballbot 国家: 美国 制造者: Carnegie Mellon 年份: 2006 重量: 95lbs (43.09kg)

卡内基·梅隆大学的研究人员研制出一种新型的移动式机器人Ballbot，它能在球体上保持平衡，而无需依靠腿或轮子。Ballbot依靠电池来运行，能独立进行自我控制，并能收发所有方位的信号。它可以在一个外层涂有乙烷的金属球上保持动态平衡。它重达95磅，与人的身高和体宽相似。由于它身材修长并能适应在密闭的空间工作，与当今的其它机器人相比，它在与人类协同工作的环境中更具潜力。

Ballbot通过一个随身携带的电脑来读取来自内部传感器的平衡信息、并借助滚动装置的活动来带动机器人下部的球体。这个球体本质上是一个倒置的球形驱动器。Ballbot 在非工作状态下依靠三条可以缩回的腿来站在适当的位置上。

Ballbot现在还不够成熟，它最终将会成为一个真正的类人机器人，有头和双臂，并且速度更快、活动力更强、动作更优美。现阶段的它只是采用了一种大有发展前途的运动方式。

Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed a new type of mobile robot that balances on a ball instead of legs or wheels. "Ballbot" is a self-contained, battery-operated, omnidirectional robot that balances dynamically on a single urethane-coated metal sphere. It weighs 95 pounds and is the approximate height and width of a person. Because of its long, thin shape and ability to maneuver in tight spaces, it has the potential to function better than current robots can in environments with people.

Ballbot has an onboard computer that reads balance information from its internal sensors, activating rollers that mobilize the ball on which it moves — a system that is essentially an inverse mouse-ball drive. When Ballbot is not in operation, it stands in place on three retractable legs.

Ballbot is still in its infancy, eventually it will be a true humanoid with a head and arms and be much faster, more dynamic and graceful. At its current stage it is just a promising means of locomotion.