Scientists from the USA have created a two-legged robot unicycle Ringbot

The team of associate professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Joohyun Kim, created a bipedal unicycle robot, Ringbot. Its unique hybrid mechanism, combining legs and wheels, allows you to easily overcome a variety of terrain - from city streets to indoors.

While wheeled robots are not new, Ringbot is the first to be based on a monocyclic wheeled design.

“The inherent advantages and disadvantages of wheeled robots and legged robots have prompted robotics researchers to delve deeper into the development of transformable robots to combine the strengths of both types.”

Joohyun Kim, Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Ringbot's structure ensures its stability. The main wheel simultaneously serves as the body of the robot, and the built-in “legs” help the unicycle maintain balance and avoid falls. The researchers studied the driving style of wheeled vehicles and implemented this idea in their project. Each of Ringbot's two "legs" is located on a moving module inside the structure, similar to "two hamsters running on a wheel."

The monocyclic robot's maneuverability in tight spaces makes it potentially useful for delivering goods in congested environments. Hyundai Motor Group provided seed funding for this project.

In future research, Kim's team hopes that Ringbot will be able to handle last-mile deliveries on its own. Experts plan to install two more limbs so that the robot can store packages inside the wheel, using its “legs” to move along the ground. According to Kim, thanks to this improvement, Ringbot will be able to quickly navigate roads, overcoming stairs and uneven surfaces.

The Ringbot's design was inspired by sci-fi vehicles, particularly General Grievous's car from Star Wars. Kim believes Ringbot's success will spark new ideas among fellow researchers and science fiction enthusiasts.