Chinese robotics company Zhongqing Robotics (aka EngineAI) just front-flipped into the humanoid robotics scene. The firm has posted a video of what is claimed to be the world's first humanoid robot front flip.
Robot backflips are so passé ... Ever since Boston Dynamics' Atlas stuck that backflip back in 2017 and wowed (frightened?) the entirety of humanity, it seems like any ol' robot can throw a backflip now. But to do a front flip is significantly more difficult than a backflip – just ask any gymnast.
Perception alone makes it more difficult, as the moment you begin to rotate forward, your eyes lose sight of the ground and you can't spot your landing until the very last second. The human brain feels safer falling away from the ground than throwing oneself blindly forward and upside down, hoping to nail a clean landing.
And then there are the sheer body mechanics involved. Backflips use stronger muscle groups like your glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles. Front flips use more of your abs and hip flexors. The tuck position is far easier in a backward rotation than what's required for a front flip.
Hesitation is the main human hurdle for rotating your body through the air, be it forward or backward. Without a clean, confident spring and solid rotation, you're going to land on your head at some point. And that's a scary thought.
But none of that matters, because this is a robot and it has no fear, no hesitation, and no sense of self-preservation. Its designers can put any range of powerful electric motors and joints into its anatomy. And it's been coded and instructed to flip, so it flips.
Not to say this isn't an impressive feat, because it is. The field of robotics – particularly humanoid, general-purpose robots – is advancing at an incredible rate. Ten years ago, this kind of stuff simply did not exist. And now you can buy your very own open-source PM01 robot for US$13,700, according to EngineAI's website. Its specs aren't bad: 5-DoF (degrees of freedom) in each arm and six per leg. That's 23-DoF in body movement in total. The bot also boasts 221 lb-ft of torque (300 Nm), which seems like quite a punch when the little guy is only 4.5 ft (138 cm) tall and weighs 88 lb (40kg).
Take a peek as EngineAI's general-purpose humanoid robot nails a front flip and walks off like a champ – and with one of the most human-like gaits we've seen to date, which is also quite impressive.
We'd love to see the blooper reel.
Source: EngineAI
