Comment by world2vec
5 hours ago
Why not an arachnoid form factor with wheels too? Like the tachikomas[0] from Ghost in the Shell world. It usually drives with its wheels but when needed it can use its legs like a spider/insect would. Much more efficient and versatile (and stable) than bipedal form factor IMHO.
They do have those, but the leg mechanisms don't have the same dynamic range as a humans' so they end up getting stuck in doorways, narrow stairwells, or other places which assume bi-pedals. Making them narrow enough to fit, makes them too short to reach the same heights assumed for adult humans, so they can't do the same thing.
The height vs width form factor kills the whole idea as a general solution.
I wonder if we're missing the much simpler thought of "Heelys for robots?" Put wheels in the feet so it can move with a quickness, but also let them step around when they need to maneuver into our spaces.
Carnegie Mellon has (had?) a robot called CHIMP that worked in similar fashion.
Boston Dynamics makes some robots like this.
might struggle to get into narrow spaces that a human could fit. wheels and legs do seem like a good idea though and a robot on rollar skates does sound awesome.