New video of the robo-ant A-Pod

When developing bionic insect robots, many engineers simply make a robot on six legs. Norwegian Kare Halvorsen (Kare Halvorsen) decided to go ahead and make a full-fledged robo-ant - adding a flexible stomach and formidable jaws. In the end, the A-Pod was very capable. He runs well, picks up objects and can pour beer from a bottle! Remotely controlled robot demonstrates amazing dexterity and accuracy. In the new video that Halvorsen recently released, A-Pod delivers the package (2:24) and works as a bartender (3:40).



I'm a fan of bionic robots and the A-Pod is definitely one of the coolest prototypes I've ever seen. Although Halvorsen doesn’t seem to be going to turn a robot into a designer (many parts require complex milling), I hope that the development of the robot-ants will continue.
Kare Halvorsen, also known by the nickname Zenta, is a regular at the HexapodRobot forum. A-Pod is not his only invention - Phoenix (2:54) and T-Hex (3:10) robots are also very interesting. You can learn more about the robot software, processor ( Basic AtomPro 28 ), LiPo-batteries, and see photos on the HexapodRobot and TrossenRobotics forums , and on its YouTube channel.
A-Pod has been under development for over a year. The previous video of the robot appeared in April 2009 (it has already been published on Habré). The robot used to be very flexible and had a good mouth control. In a comment on YouTube, Halvorsen wrote that the latest version of the software revamped and updated the movements of the robot.


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The appearance of an A-Pod rivets attention - how can you ignore a giant black ant with huge jaws? But this body gives more than just a superficial resemblance. Engaging in the mechanics of “natural engineering” helps to implement remarkable projects, such as the robot Dash , which is smart and tireless, like a cockroach. An A-Pod is bounded by biomimetics and simple copying of forms. It has servo drives instead of muscle tissue, but its gait and torso movements are realistic. I wonder what else the A-Pod can do if you copy the ant mechanics completely?