A rugged humanoid robot has demonstrated stair climbing and uneven-terrain mobility, highlighting its potential for industrial, hazardous and outdoor operations.
Deep Robotics has demonstrated its DR02 humanoid robot climbing concrete stairs and navigating uneven outdoor terrain, highlighting advances in robotic mobility for demanding real-world environments. The company says the machine is designed for industrial, hazardous and outdoor applications where difficult terrain can make human work challenging.
Recent footage shows the DR02 ascending concrete stairs, following earlier demonstrations in which the humanoid ran across uneven grass, jumped over obstacles and navigated challenging ground. The demonstrations are intended to show how the robot can maintain movement across surfaces and environments that are difficult for conventional machines.
The DR02 has also been demonstrated carrying a fire extinguisher mounted on its back and operating around high-voltage electrical infrastructure. These capabilities point towards potential uses in industrial inspection, emergency response, infrastructure maintenance and other hazardous environments.
According to Deep Robotics, the DR02 is a 175-centimetre industrial humanoid weighing 65 kilograms with its battery. It has 68-centimetre arms and 31 degrees of freedom, including six per leg, seven per arm and three at the waist. A dexterous hand is available as an option.
For mobility, the robot has a normal walking speed of 1.5 metres per second and a laboratory-tested maximum speed of 4 metres per second. It can continuously climb stairs up to 25 centimetres high and handle slopes of up to 20 degrees. Its dual-arm payload is rated at 22 kilograms.
The robot uses a 20Ah, 1440Wh swappable battery, while modular quick-disassembly hardware allows components including the forearms, full arms and legs to be replaced rapidly.
Deep Robotics says the DR02 includes all-weather protection, advanced perception and stair-climbing capabilities. The machine is intended for environments including factories, equipment inspection, emergency response and work around high-voltage systems, potentially allowing robots to undertake tasks that may be difficult or dangerous for human workers.
