Kangaroo

For a more comprehensive and up-to-date list of specs, please refer to: https://pal-robotics.com/robots/kangaroo/

Robust legged platform for highly dynamic motions
Kangaroo robot is a prototype bipedal robot research platform for exploring advanced control methods for legged locomotion. The robot is lightweight with low moving inertia in the legs and suitable for highly dynamic motions such as jumping and running. Each leg has 6 DoF, and a mass of 12.5 kg mostly located in the upper part so that the mechanical design allows for impact resilience and reduced energy consumption.

Linear actuators and non-linear transmissions
Kangaroo incorporates custom linear actuators with integrated force sensors providing a wide range of motion as well as high speed and torques at the joints. The design takes advantage of nonlinear linkage mechanisms to place all the actuators close to the trunk, making the biped robot research platform closer to classical template models. The non-linear transmission parameters have been optimised to achieve the necessary speeds and torques for jumping but require only low power whilst standing and walking.

Leg length actuator designed for efficiency
Kangaroo robot uses an actuation system for the extension and contraction of the leg that is implemented with only one motor, in contrast to other robots that use multiple actuators at the hip, knee, and ankle. The decoupling of the leg length and hip swing motions with Kangaroo makes the system highly efficient.

Advanced motor control technology
Kangaroo uses a new generation of in-house electronics boards for motor control and sensor acquisition. This choice allows embedding custom and decentralized closed loop force/torque controllers at joint level and provides flexibility for experimenting with different control algorithms and obtaining the best performance from the biped robot research platform.

USED FOR RESEARCH IN:

• Artificial Intelligence

• Machine learning

• Control algorithms

• Navigation

• Torque Control

• Highly reactive and dynamic motion

• Dynamic Walking

• Trajectory Optimization

• High impact resilience

• Motion planning