Festo Bionic Learning Network (Germany) BionicKangaroo (1)

Not soldTechnology demonstrator from Festo's Bionic Learning Network; shown at Hannover Messe 2014.

Not for sale (research)Not programmableBionic demoEnergy recoveryGesture controlPneumatic

Not soldShipping: N/A. Not available; a Festo research and trade-fair demonstrator.

Remote control: Not possible. A Festo exhibition piece controlled only by its gesture armband.

Festo project page (archive) ↗Festo brochure (archive) ↗Wikipedia ↗

Overview

Festo spent two years recreating the kangaroo's elastic hop. An elastic tendon is pretensioned pneumatically, released for take-off and recharged by the landing, so successive jumps reuse stored energy. The tail servo counters the leg swing to keep the body level in flight. Like most Festo bionic projects it was built to showcase pneumatics and control rather than for sale, and it toured trade fairs from 2014.

Specifications

Category	Jumpers & hoppers · Jumping & hopping robots
Released	2014
Availability	Not for sale (research)
Programmability	No programmability
Best for	Professionals & labs
Vision sensors	No vision sensors
Actuators	Mixed
Audio	No audio
Compute type	Proprietary / undisclosed
Remote control	Not programmable
Size	100 cm upright (60 cm sitting), 7 kg
Locomotion	Two hind legs driven by Festo DSNUP-20 pneumatic cylinders with a rubber 'Achilles tendon' that stores landing energy; electric servos (3 Harmonic Drive motors) for hips and balancing tail
Compute	Festo CECC compact controller (Ethernet, CAN, RS232/485, IO-Link)
Camera	None
Sensors	Xsens AHRS, Festo SPTE pressure transmitter, Hall rotary potentiometer
Runtime	Not published; on-board compressor or high-pressure air tank plus LiPo batteries
Speed	Jumps up to 40 cm high and 80 cm long
SDK	None; controlled by gestures through a Thalmic Labs Myo EMG armband over Bluetooth (50 m range)