Video: Robotic leg powered by HASELs

An electrohydraulic musculoskeletal robotic leg for agile, adaptive, yet energy-efficient locomotion.

Robotic locomotion on unstructured terrains requires an architecture that is both agile and adaptive. Current legged robots rely heavily on rigid electromagnetic motors and complex sensorized control systems to adapt to uneven surfaces. These systems, however, struggle to replicate the fluidity and efficiency seen in animal locomotion. To address this challenge, we have introduced a bio-inspired musculoskeletal leg (PELE) driven by pairs of antagonistic electrohydraulic artificial muscles (HASSELs), allowing it to perform high-energy motions like jumping and fast movements while automatically adapting to obstacles and different terrains.