Walking truck
The walking truck (cybernetic walking machine) was an experimental quadruped robot made by General Electric in 1968. It was designed by Ralph Mosher to help infantry carry equipment over rough terrain.
The stepping of the robot was controlled by a human operator through foot and hand movements coupled to hydraulic valves. The complex movements of the legs and body pose were done entirely through hydraulics. The hydraulic fluid and pressure was supplied through an off-board system. The Walking Truck can be seen at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis, VA. (Wickelgren, 1996). The robot weighted 3,000 pounds and could walk up to 5 miles an hour. It was exhausting to control and operators, according to program lead Ralph Mosher who was the primary driver, could only drive the Walking Truck for a limited time.
External links
- The U.S. Army Transportation Museum, Fort Eustis VA
- The U.S. Army Transportation Museum - Cybernetic Walking Machine
- General Electric Homepage
- A photograph of the truck.
- A video of the truck operating
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