Quadruped

Following a thrill-packed pre-launch for its Lynx robodog last year, where the wheeled wonder was seen speeding through fair-weather wilderness, Deep Robotics has hit the slopes to prove its all-weather mettle – with impressive acrobatic style.

Two new videos from Chinese companies make it clear: it'll soon be no use trying to run from robots. Rapid upgrades in speed and agility mean robot dogs can now sprint at near-Olympic pace, and humanoids are running smoothly over tough terrain.

China's DEEP Robotics is about to add a new quadruped to its kennel called the Lynx. But rather than go for walkies on pads, the mid-sized pup rolls on four wheels and is built for all-terrain shenanigans – as you can see in the pre-launch promo.

From fire-breathers to sprinters, climbers and gymnasts, we've seen more than our fair share of impressive quadruped robots. Now the fourth-generation Honey Badger has added underwater walkies to the list of robodog capabilities.

The ANYmal quadruped robot not only walks on four legs, it can also roll on four wheels, stand up, throw boxes, and make its way up and down stairs. As if all that wasn't enough, the thing can now also climb ladders.

Around this time last year, Chinese robotics company Unitree caught our attention with the impressive circus tricks and GPT chat capabilities of its $1,600 second-generation robot dog. Now the company has wheeled out an all-terrain upgrade.

This nifty little quadruped robot has been trained to seek and eliminate litter by researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology, using a vacuum cleaner backpack with nozzles strapped to its ankles.

Scientists have created a four-legged bio-inspired robot that climbs like no other. It clings to rough vertical surfaces utilizing a unique mechanism that is highly effective, yet at the same time relatively simple.

You might think that having four legs with wheels on the ends would already make a robot pretty useful. China's LimX Dynamics is taking things further, however, as its W1 quadruped robot is now able to stand up and walk on two "feet."

A robo-dog capable of throwing 30-ft flames from its back might seem the stuff of sci-fi nightmares, but such terrors were made real last year with the launch of the Thermonator. Now the fire-breathing quadruped is available to buy for under $10k.

The XPeng Unicorn is a pony-sized robotic companion with the foundations to become much more. Shown to the world for the first time this week at the Bangkok International Motor Show, the Unicorn has the potential to become a market maker.

ANYmal is a truly remarkable robot, capable of standing and lifting things like a humanoid, or slinking around on all fours like a quadruped, with or without wheels. But what's really surprised us now is the eerie grace it's starting to move with.