Robots that can walk and run are no longer just ideas for science fiction movies. They exist and have the potential to make the world a safer, cleaner, and better place. In this class, we will cover basic concepts about walking and running for humans and animals and then discuss how these concepts relate to robots. We will compare animals/robots with 2 legs versus 4 and the challenges and benefits that each design offers. We will review some of the most popular legged robots seen on the internet and discuss how the designers get them to walk and run. Hopefully, after this class you will have learned (1) why walking and running is a useful capability for robots and (2) how robots “think” about walking and running as they are doing it.

What is a robot? What are the applications for modern-day robots? What applications will there be for the robots of the future? This class will provide an introduction to the field of robotics, with an emphasis on how robots interact with our society and what that interaction might look like in the near and distant futures. We will devote a significant portion of the class to discussing legged robots (robots that can walk, run, jump, etc). We will overview a collection of past and present legged robots, highlight the challenges faced by the field, and talk about the role we think robots should play in our society. The class will include a live demonstration of the MIT Mini Cheetah robot, which will show off the robot’s acrobatic abilities.