Two-Legged Robot Runner

A bipedal robot recently became the first in the world to complete a 5K run. Dubbed Cassie, the two-legged device represents multiple breakthroughs in the science and understanding of locomotion.

Looking a little bit like the body and legs of an ostrich, Cassie taught itself to run using a deep reinforcement learning algorithm. Basically, the robot had to learn how to balance dynamically on its own by making an infinite number of tiny adjustments while in motion. It completed the run in a little over 53 minutes autonomously on a single battery charge. It is also capable of going up and down stairs.

Robots like this will undoubtedly become more commonplace for tasks like package delivery and even assisting people in their homes.