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.

Side view of the legged research platform Kangaroo robot
The research biped platform Kangaroo back view

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.

Frontal view of Kangaroo's leg
Kangaroo robot's leg engine

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.

Areas of use

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

FIELDS OF APPLICATION:

Factory of the Future

factory of the future PAL Robotics

IoT

IoT PAL Robotics

Benchmarking

benchmark icon PAL Robotics

Space exploration

aerospace icon PAL Robotics

Technical specifications

Contact PAL Robotics and get in touch with a team of experts
who can assess you and provide you more information of Kangaroo.

SPECS

Height 145 cm
Weight  40 kg (12kg per leg)
Degree of Freedom (DoF) 6 actuated per leg
Battery autonomy 6h
OS Linux, Ubuntu, ROS
Actuators Ball Screw Actuators with Force Sensors

Contact PAL Robotics team if you have any further questions!

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Register for PAL Robotics’s newsletter and stay up to date with product news, relevant events and exhibitions, and other relevant information about PAL Robotics.