Chinese researchers develop super-fast quadrupedal robot

China

Chinese researchers develop super-fast quadrupedal robot

2025-02-08 17:24 Last Updated At：23:27

A Chinese team has unveiled a robotic dog that sprinted into the "10-second club" of the 100-meter dash, marking a new technological advancement in robotics.

The impressive machine Black Panther 2.0, weighing 38 kilograms and standing 0.63 meters tall, achieves a remarkable peak stride frequency of five times per second, making it one of the world's fastest quadruped robots.

The researchers behind this project, a collaboration between a humanoid innovation institute under Zhejiang University (ZJU) and Hangzhou-based startup Mirror Me, took cues from the joints and paws of animals like black panthers and jerboas to improve the robot's high-speed movement in terms of strength, flexibility, power, precision and fluidity.

Its development commenced in 2018 and spanned six years, during which significant advancements were achieved through multiple innovative upgrades in both control algorithms and hardware structures.

"We are committed to the deep integration of science and technological innovation and industrial innovation. Therefore, especially in the current research direction of humanoid robots, the main focus is on achieving a more perfect integration of mechanics and machinery, enabling our humanoid robots to run faster and be more powerful," explained Dong Shihong, secretary of Party Working Committee at ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center (HIC).

Now, the team has developed advanced high-power-density, high-load motor drivers, laying the foundation for the next generation of industrial quadruped robots and expects the new generation can sprint at 15 meters per second.

"This speed indicator is set based on the average speed of living creatures. According to our statistics, for a land mammal weighing between 40 and 50 kilograms, its average running speed is approximately 15 meters per second. Therefore, we hope that the mobility of the next generation of Black Panther robot can be on par with the average level of living creatures," said Jin Rongbin, a researcher from the ZJU-HIC.

ROK president calls for learning lesson from anti-aggression history

The Republic of Korea (ROK) and China should cherish the historical experience of jointly resisting aggression and continue to work together for a prosperous future, said ROK President Lee Jae Myung.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office last year.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee said that humanity must learn from the past to prevent the tragedy of war from repeating itself.

"While pursuing their own national interests to the fullest extent, countries must not harm the national interests of others, but should coexist peacefully. The act of invading other countries and massacring their people for one's own benefit must never be repeated. History of humanity often repeats itself, therefore we must learn from the past. In this regard, I believe the historical experience of ROK and China in resisting aggression and fighting together is invaluable. Of course, while historical experience is important, we cannot remain stuck in the past. For a better future for the people of both countries, we need to continuously explore possibilities for working together towards the future," said the president.