Meet Salto, the terrifying robot that hops around like a frog
It's called "Salto-1P" and it's a "monopedal jumping robot capable of continuous high-power hopping". It's now playing hopscotch.
We're seen Boston Dynamics robots at work -- robots that can do backflips, open doors and respond intelligently to different environments.
But how about a tiny frog-like robot that can intelligently hop on one leg and play hopscotch?
Meet "Salto-1P" a robot being designed by the Biomimetic Millisystems lab at Berkeley, University of California. The work is being supported by an Army Research Office Grant, which makes me wonder if one of these things is gonna kill me one day.
That would be some way to go: death by terrifying robot-frog hopscotch.
CNET has covered Salto-1P before (it stands for Saltatorial Location Terrain Obstacles) but back then it was jumping off walls to gain height like a crazy parkour robot. Now the researchers have advanced their algorithms to the point where Salto-1P can demonstrate precise foot placements. Now it can jump on stepping stones or play hopscotch.
We're almost fearful about where it might go next. But if we must be slaughtered in the robot revolution, might as well be slaughtered by something as cute as Salto-1P.
