Although quadruped robots can achieve amazing feats, such as pulling planes or climbing fences, they still have some limitations. In most cases, they need a larger surface to walk. A group of robot researchers in Italy are looking to change this situation. They created a robot controller that allows a quadruped robot to cross a thin beam of light.
 


Quadruped robots can only balance two legs and can walk on heels. In digital simulation, the controller allows a 90 kg robot to cross a bridge only 6 cm wide. Researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) demonstrated how a robot equipped with a controller can balance its two feet even when pushed and pulled. When the robot adjusts to different heights, it can even keep balance on both legs. The IIT team detailed their findings in a paper on arXiv.
 
In the United States, Boston Dynamics spot is arguably the most popular quadruped robot, but as researchers develop robot controllers such as IIT, we may see more quadruped robot applications.