Upgraded Atlas Robot Developed for More Stringent DARPA Robotics Challenge Requirements

摘要

DARPA unveiled its upgraded Atlas robot for teams participating in June's DARPA Robotics Challenge finals. The improved system is 75 percent new, using only the lower legs and feet from the original design. Lighter materials allow the addition of an onboard 3.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack for up to one hour of mixed mission operation and a new pump system for quieter and more efficient operation. "The introduction of a battery and variable-pressure pump into Atlas poses a strategic challenge for teams," says Gill Pratt, program manager for the DRC. "The operator will be able to run the robot on a mid-pressure setting for most operations to save power and then apply bursts of maximum pressure when additional force is needed. The teams are going to have to game out the right balance of force and battery life to complete the course."