On January 13, the Humanoid Robot Innovation Research Institute of the Hangzhou International Science and Technology Innovation Center of Zhejiang University, together with Mirror Recognition Technology Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Kaida Welding Robot Co., Ltd., unveiled the "Black Panther 2.0" quadruped robot.
Weighing 38 kg and standing 0.63 meters tall, "Black Panther 2.0" is the world's fastest quadruped robot, reaching speeds of up to 10 meters per second.
The R&D team focused on dynamics, optimizing the robot's skeletal structure. They studied animals such as black panthers and jumping mice to improve the robot's joints and foot soles, enhancing its strength, toughness, power, precision, and fluidity during high-speed movements. This balance between compact design and exceptional performance is a key achievement.
The robot's speed is due to the team's research in robotic dynamics. Using the Huygens coupling pendulum principle, they synchronized the robot's four legs for high-speed sprinting. To reduce ground impact and energy consumption during high-speed running, they added springs to the knee joints to act as shock absorbers. They also developed "jumping mouse-like carbon fiber calves," which increased stiffness by 135% with only a 16% increase in weight.
Inspired by the claws of a cheetah, the team created special "running shoes" for the robot, increasing its grip by 200% and allowing for fast, stable movement.
During development, the team made two major breakthroughs. First, they created robot design optimization software that can be applied to different types of robots, reducing R&D time and costs. Second, they developed a high-power-density motor driver that is currently the world leader. This driver lays the foundation for the next generation of industrial quadruped robots.
