Purple Robotic Device Tries to Brachiate Like a Gibbon

Posted on May 31, 2012

IEEE Spectrum reports that researchers at Northwestern University's Laboratory for Intelligent Mechanical Systems have built a purple robot called Gibbot. Gibbot was designed to imitate brachiation, the impressive tree limb to tree limb swinging movement made by Gibbons solely by using their arms. Gibbons can reportedly brachiate at speeds up to 35 mph. You can watch a video of a gibbon brachiating here.

Gibbot brachiates on a steel wall by clamping on to it with electromagnets. Gibbot is not even close to being on bar with gibbons, but it's not a bad start for a little purple robot. Take a look:

ROBOTS