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  3. There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs.

There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs.

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  • daojoan@mastodon.socialD daojoan@mastodon.social

    There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs. Every other form factor is cheaper, more stable, more efficient, and easier to maintain.

    There is, however, a very good marketing reason: everyone’s watched Terminator, fear goes viral, and anxiety drives attention.

    A warehouse robot is infrastructure.

    A humanoid robot is an engagement strategy…

    bit@ohai.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
    bit@ohai.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
    bit@ohai.social
    wrote last edited by
    #15

    @Daojoan There is one reason. Robots will often have to work in a space designed by humans for humans, so they will need to mimic humans. Big companies have the money to create infrastructure that fits robots better. China has entire factories run by robots, where they work 24/7 with lights off. Amazon has warehouses that are completely flat, and riddled with guidelines and tracks on the floor. Not every company will have such infrastructure, so they'll need robots that can climb stairs instead.

    chemoelectric@masto.aiC marjolica@social.linux.pizzaM S 3 Replies Last reply
    0
    • daojoan@mastodon.socialD daojoan@mastodon.social

      There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs. Every other form factor is cheaper, more stable, more efficient, and easier to maintain.

      There is, however, a very good marketing reason: everyone’s watched Terminator, fear goes viral, and anxiety drives attention.

      A warehouse robot is infrastructure.

      A humanoid robot is an engagement strategy…

      duskyelf@mas.toD This user is from outside of this forum
      duskyelf@mas.toD This user is from outside of this forum
      duskyelf@mas.to
      wrote last edited by
      #16

      @Daojoan a lot of the engineers take ideas from fiction as well : )

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • n_dimension@infosec.exchangeN n_dimension@infosec.exchange

        @Daojoan

        Aaakshully

        Two legs makes sense.

        1. Minimum suspension mats (vs tripod or quad+)

        2. Nature doesn't do wheels.

        3. There are other ground propulsion methods (wigglies etc) but not fast.

        4. Once you got the balance software going, legs are super fast.

        5. You could have alternatives, but they are medium specific (arboreal, hydrous), legs are universal.

        6. Flight has specific downsides mass/energy also medium specific

        Just about the only half decent alternative is snake.
        But legs > snake

        ehproque@neopaquita.esE This user is from outside of this forum
        ehproque@neopaquita.esE This user is from outside of this forum
        ehproque@neopaquita.es
        wrote last edited by
        #17

        @n_dimension @Daojoan there must be a good reason for most mammals to be four legged

        n_dimension@infosec.exchangeN 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • ehproque@neopaquita.esE ehproque@neopaquita.es

          @n_dimension @Daojoan there must be a good reason for most mammals to be four legged

          n_dimension@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
          n_dimension@infosec.exchangeN This user is from outside of this forum
          n_dimension@infosec.exchange
          wrote last edited by
          #18

          @ehproque @Daojoan

          Good point!

          In my most authoritative , though uninformed voice I will assert that's because;

          a) Balance software not so good
          b) Faster
          c) Claws/Hooves can attack while relatively stable.

          Human "forelimbs" evolved for grasping.

          1 Reply Last reply
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          • daojoan@mastodon.socialD daojoan@mastodon.social

            There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs. Every other form factor is cheaper, more stable, more efficient, and easier to maintain.

            There is, however, a very good marketing reason: everyone’s watched Terminator, fear goes viral, and anxiety drives attention.

            A warehouse robot is infrastructure.

            A humanoid robot is an engagement strategy…

            justcameheretosay@mastodon.socialJ This user is from outside of this forum
            justcameheretosay@mastodon.socialJ This user is from outside of this forum
            justcameheretosay@mastodon.social
            wrote last edited by
            #19

            @Daojoan

            Link Preview Image
            Benk Holiday Weekend (@TheBreadmonkey@beige.party)

            Attached: 1 video New Michael Jackson movie looks lit

            favicon

            beige.party (beige.party)

            connynasch@mastodon.socialC 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • daojoan@mastodon.socialD daojoan@mastodon.social

              There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs. Every other form factor is cheaper, more stable, more efficient, and easier to maintain.

              There is, however, a very good marketing reason: everyone’s watched Terminator, fear goes viral, and anxiety drives attention.

              A warehouse robot is infrastructure.

              A humanoid robot is an engagement strategy…

              airwhale@beige.partyA This user is from outside of this forum
              airwhale@beige.partyA This user is from outside of this forum
              airwhale@beige.party
              wrote last edited by
              #20

              @Daojoan

              I always cringe at illustrations of “office AI assistants”. Humanoid robots who look at a big monitor and does input using a keyboard and mouse. JUST USE THE USB-C CONNECTOR ALREADY!!!

              Of course, they are almost always white and the female bots have nice boobs. So infantilising.

              Sarah Connor’s biggest mistake was failing to develop military grade glue guns. The first robot uprising would have been too sticky to do much damage 😁

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • justcameheretosay@mastodon.socialJ justcameheretosay@mastodon.social

                @Daojoan

                Link Preview Image
                Benk Holiday Weekend (@TheBreadmonkey@beige.party)

                Attached: 1 video New Michael Jackson movie looks lit

                favicon

                beige.party (beige.party)

                connynasch@mastodon.socialC This user is from outside of this forum
                connynasch@mastodon.socialC This user is from outside of this forum
                connynasch@mastodon.social
                wrote last edited by
                #21

                @justcameheretosay after the marathon 😂 @Daojoan

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • bit@ohai.socialB bit@ohai.social

                  @Daojoan There is one reason. Robots will often have to work in a space designed by humans for humans, so they will need to mimic humans. Big companies have the money to create infrastructure that fits robots better. China has entire factories run by robots, where they work 24/7 with lights off. Amazon has warehouses that are completely flat, and riddled with guidelines and tracks on the floor. Not every company will have such infrastructure, so they'll need robots that can climb stairs instead.

                  chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                  chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                  chemoelectric@masto.ai
                  wrote last edited by
                  #22

                  @bit @Daojoan

                  There is another reason that should be obvious but isn’t, because for some reason we are never taught this when we are kids.

                  Of all large creatures, the human has the tightest turn radius.

                  (All they did was teach us how we were physically inferior blah blah blah. Meanwhile we had easily the tightest turn radius of all creatures. Even a chimp cannot turn as tightly. It is something very worth replicating in machinery.

                  A dog has to walk in a circle.)

                  bms48@mastodon.socialB 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                    chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                    chemoelectric@masto.ai
                    wrote last edited by
                    #23

                    @Su_G I learnt it from one or more of Moshe Feldenkrais’s books. It is obvious once pointed out, though.

                    chemoelectric@masto.aiC 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • chemoelectric@masto.aiC chemoelectric@masto.ai

                      @Su_G I learnt it from one or more of Moshe Feldenkrais’s books. It is obvious once pointed out, though.

                      chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                      chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                      chemoelectric@masto.ai
                      wrote last edited by
                      #24

                      @Su_G Of course, he may have learnt it from whoever taught him Judo.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • chemoelectric@masto.aiC chemoelectric@masto.ai

                        @bit @Daojoan

                        There is another reason that should be obvious but isn’t, because for some reason we are never taught this when we are kids.

                        Of all large creatures, the human has the tightest turn radius.

                        (All they did was teach us how we were physically inferior blah blah blah. Meanwhile we had easily the tightest turn radius of all creatures. Even a chimp cannot turn as tightly. It is something very worth replicating in machinery.

                        A dog has to walk in a circle.)

                        bms48@mastodon.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
                        bms48@mastodon.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
                        bms48@mastodon.social
                        wrote last edited by
                        #25

                        @chemoelectric @bit @Daojoan Hence the expression "tilting at windmills".

                        chemoelectric@masto.aiC 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • uecker@mastodon.socialU uecker@mastodon.social

                          @Daojoan The argument is that they should be able to get around in a world designed for humans with two legs, and the argument is plausible.

                          dec23k@mastodon.ieD This user is from outside of this forum
                          dec23k@mastodon.ieD This user is from outside of this forum
                          dec23k@mastodon.ie
                          wrote last edited by
                          #26

                          @uecker @Daojoan
                          (stares in wheelchair accessibility)

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                            chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                            chemoelectric@masto.ai
                            wrote last edited by
                            #27

                            @Su_G It is fascinating to watch how four-legged animals turn, once you know they are walking in a circle!

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • bms48@mastodon.socialB bms48@mastodon.social

                              @chemoelectric @bit @Daojoan Hence the expression "tilting at windmills".

                              chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                              chemoelectric@masto.aiC This user is from outside of this forum
                              chemoelectric@masto.ai
                              wrote last edited by
                              #28

                              @bms48 @bit @Daojoan

                              That I do not understand. ‘Tilting’ is lowering your lance. A chimp could lower a lance. 🙂

                              1 Reply Last reply
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                              • bit@ohai.socialB bit@ohai.social

                                @Daojoan There is one reason. Robots will often have to work in a space designed by humans for humans, so they will need to mimic humans. Big companies have the money to create infrastructure that fits robots better. China has entire factories run by robots, where they work 24/7 with lights off. Amazon has warehouses that are completely flat, and riddled with guidelines and tracks on the floor. Not every company will have such infrastructure, so they'll need robots that can climb stairs instead.

                                marjolica@social.linux.pizzaM This user is from outside of this forum
                                marjolica@social.linux.pizzaM This user is from outside of this forum
                                marjolica@social.linux.pizza
                                wrote last edited by
                                #29

                                @bit @Daojoan well or like Daleks (who are of course Mechanical Turks) eventually learn to levitate.

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • daojoan@mastodon.socialD daojoan@mastodon.social

                                  There’s functionally no engineering reason to put a robot on two legs. Every other form factor is cheaper, more stable, more efficient, and easier to maintain.

                                  There is, however, a very good marketing reason: everyone’s watched Terminator, fear goes viral, and anxiety drives attention.

                                  A warehouse robot is infrastructure.

                                  A humanoid robot is an engagement strategy…

                                  backfromthedud@mas.toB This user is from outside of this forum
                                  backfromthedud@mas.toB This user is from outside of this forum
                                  backfromthedud@mas.to
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #30

                                  @Daojoan Humans are the only mammal that walks upright on two legs. Humans are not natural to this planet. Discuss.

                                  jmcclure@sciences.socialJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • fluchtkapsel@nerdculture.deF fluchtkapsel@nerdculture.de

                                    @n_dimension @Daojoan I'd say crabs instead of snakes. The crabbification must have some good reasons.

                                    V This user is from outside of this forum
                                    V This user is from outside of this forum
                                    vrek@mastodon.social
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #31

                                    @fluchtkapsel @n_dimension @Daojoan I'll just leave this here... https://store.steampowered.com/app/3526710/Everything_is_Crab_The_Animal_Evolution_Roguelite/

                                    1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • backfromthedud@mas.toB backfromthedud@mas.to

                                      @Daojoan Humans are the only mammal that walks upright on two legs. Humans are not natural to this planet. Discuss.

                                      jmcclure@sciences.socialJ This user is from outside of this forum
                                      jmcclure@sciences.socialJ This user is from outside of this forum
                                      jmcclure@sciences.social
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #32

                                      @BackFromTheDud @Daojoan

                                      Mammals account for 0.06% of species on this planet. Being the only biped among such a trivially small group is hardly noteworthy.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • bit@ohai.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
                                        bit@ohai.socialB This user is from outside of this forum
                                        bit@ohai.social
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #33

                                        @Su_G @Daojoan I don't mind Michael Jackson turning in his grave. Might be worth keeping that robot around just for that purpose.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • bit@ohai.socialB bit@ohai.social

                                          @Daojoan There is one reason. Robots will often have to work in a space designed by humans for humans, so they will need to mimic humans. Big companies have the money to create infrastructure that fits robots better. China has entire factories run by robots, where they work 24/7 with lights off. Amazon has warehouses that are completely flat, and riddled with guidelines and tracks on the floor. Not every company will have such infrastructure, so they'll need robots that can climb stairs instead.

                                          S This user is from outside of this forum
                                          S This user is from outside of this forum
                                          stevenally@mastodon.social
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #34

                                          @bit @Daojoan Legs are going to cost a lot more than wheels.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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