Developed in the laboratories of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the “cheetah-cub robot” is a four-legged metallic creature modeled after a house cat. The scientists focused on designing legs that can move like cats, paying particular attention to their stability while moving on uneven surfaces.
While it has a long way to go before it becomes graceful and making movements that would make it indistinguishable from a real cat, it’s quote speedy. The robot can run seven times its body length in one second. The researchers hope their creation gives rise to more robots for exploration and search-and-rescue missions in the future.
This in stark contrast to many cat-owners’ dream to have their pets’ pictures land on the front page of Reddit or Icanhascheezburger.
