RHex

A sleeker version with a black base and yellow curved legs with black pieces on the end. — X-RHex is the new RHex. Photo: GRASP Laboratory/University of Pennsylvania

RHex is a bio-inspired, hexapedal robot designed for locomotion in rough terrain. It can drive over rocks, mud, sand, snow, and railroad tracks. You can throw any obstacle in front of it: RHex doesn't care.

Creators

University of Michigan, McGill University, Kod*Lab, and DARPA

Year

2001

Country

United States 🇺🇸

Categories

Features

A spinning view of a 20 cm robotic hexapod with a rugged design including two lights in the front and six curved flippers that rotate. — See a 360° view of RHex. Photos: Carlton SooHoo

Did you know?

Roboticist Martin Buehler got the inspiration for RHex's design when he saw a cockroach racing over a rough surface.

A white robotic hexapod with electronics on its base goes up a set of stairs. — Stairs? No problem. Photo: GRASP Laboratory/University of Pennsylvania

RHex hiking in the woods. Video: Boston Dynamics

History

The original RHex hexapod was built between 1999 and 2001 by a DARPA-funded consortium that included McGill University and the University of Michigan. Researchers continue to use the robot as a research platform to study dynamic robot locomotion. Other members of the RHex family include Desert RHex, Rugged RHex, T-RHex, Mini-RHrex, Aqua, EduBot, among others, and a commercial version was available from Boston Dynamics. The latest version, developed at the University of Pennsylvania, is X-RHex, which features improved hardware and a modular payload system that makes it a "laboratory on legs." X-RHex supports a variety of sensor suites on a small, mobile robotic platform intended for broad, general use in research, defense, and search-and-rescue applications.

A silver robotic hexapod moves through a rocky desert. It's curved flipper arms are kicking up dirt. — Sand? No problem. Photo: GRASP Laboratory/University of Pennsylvania

The robot navigates rocky, steep terrain. — Steep rocky hill in the middle of the desert? No problem. Photo: GRASP Laboratory/University of Pennsylvania

Specs

Overview: Specs for commercial version manufactured by Boston Dynamics. Rugged, modular design. Dust- and waterproof. Equipped with modular payload bay for mission-specific packages.
Status: Ongoing
Year: 2001
Website: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhex
Width: 39 cm
Height: 20 cm
Length: 57 cm
Weight: 12.5 kg (RHex); 8.6 kg (X-RHex)
Speed: 9.72 km/h
Sensors: Cameras, gyroscope, accelerometer, and other optional sensors. Position, current, and temperature sensors in the motors.
Actuators: Six DC motors
Degrees of Freedom (DoF): 6
Materials: Aluminum and carbon fiber body.
Compute: Intel-based main computer; payload computer (optional).
Software: Linux OS. Control software can be programmed in C, Python, or Matlab.
Power: Two 144-Wh lithium-polymer batteries, 6 hours of operation