In recent years, more and more hybrid robots – with two legs for walking and two wheels for fast movement – have begun to appear.
Last year, Swiss company Ascento Robotics presented the Ascento 2, a self-balancing, mobile robot that combines both the versatility of legs and the speed of wheels. Now the company has unveiled the Ascento Pro, an upgraded version of the versatile mobile robot that brings even more features to the table.
Ascento Robotics’ newest creation generally retains the same design. It has two legs, each with a motorized wheel (larger than its predecessor) and a tensional spring in the knees, allowing it to more easily roll over small obstacles. The robot can bend its knees to get even smaller and can walk on any surface, climb stairs, jump up and forward, and hop over obstacles.
Ascento Pro has a top speed of up to 12km/h (7.5 mph), compared to its predecessor’s 8 km/h (5 mph). While the Ascento 2 rolls for about 1.5 hours on a single charge of the battery, the Pro can go for whopping 8 hours. The rechargeable battery can be removed and swapped for a freshly-charged one, if necessary.
The two-wheeled machine is fully capable, using LiDAR, onboard cameras, and LED headlights to find its way around. The designers have made the robot customizable, so users can equip it with additional sensors, cameras, and even arms. Further, Ascento also offers a simplistic mechanical design, making it very easy to replace components.
The Ascento Pro can be used for a variety of applications, including inspection, surveillance, urban deliveries, and robotics research. Currently, there is no information on the pricing or availability of the robot.
