A robot with the ability to walk like a human has been developed by a researcher at TU Delft.

Although walking robots have been around since the seventies, they can be divided into two types. The first derives from industrial robots – where everything is fixed in routines, the second, adopted by researcher Daan Hobbelen took the other approach, which examines the way humans walk. This is very similar to falling forward in a controlled way. Adopting this method replaces the cautious, rigid way in which robots walk, with the more fluid, energy efficient movement used by humans.

With his ‘Flame’ robot, Hobbelen has demonstrated that a robot can be both energy-efficient and highly stable. Flame contains seven motors, an organ of balance, and various algorithms which provide stability. For example, Flame can use the information provided by its organ of balance to place its feet slightly further apart in order to prevent a fall.

By modelling the walking process, researchers hope to provide an insight into how people walk which in turn could help people with walking difficulties, for example through improved diagnosis, training and rehabilitation equipment.