Re: Walkers

> Iain wrote:
> > I was watching TV last night and there was a discussion on robots
and
how
> > to make them walk. It turned out that it was *easier to programme* a
> > 2-legged robot than a 4-legged (or more) as the complexity of
multiple
legs
> > was a more difficult programming task.  Not 100% convinced myself,
but
they
> > were demonstrating a 2-legged robot.
>
> Several years ago, I remember seeing on a TV Documentary a tethered
> Pogo-stick-like hopping robot that could move around (to the limit of
it's
> power and communications cable) quite easily. So I think that multiple
legs
> do add to the difficulty.
>
> Andrew Martin

I do not have first hand experience with robots, but from the articles I
have read over the years, it is easier to do multi-legged ones. It may
depend on the approach taken, but both neural networks and hierarchical
program structures seem to be able to handle the job. Indeed, for
straight-ahead movement on flat ground, a simple mechanical system will
do.

Greetings