The thing can run faster than any other robot, and you for that matter

May 12, 2014 06:29 GMT  ·  By

We might have very well been tempted to think that the thing in the video below was just a toy helicopter with a fancy paint job, but that's not the case at all. It sure looks like it, but it really isn't.

You see, while those propeller-like constructs are there to provide locomotion, they don't do it in the same way that true propellers do.

That much can be deduced from a simple look, since the “wheels” look more like crisscrossing sticks than fan blades.

The folks behind Robotics Unlimited instead gave their invention a pair of wheel-like legs, then proceeded to break the speed record for running robots. That's right, those “wheels” spin alternatively on both sides of the robot.

Taking all that into account, it's not that hard to understand why Robotics Unlimited would dub their creation the OutRunner robot. It does, after all, outrun all its peers.

For those who want more details, the OutRunner has six legs, three on each side, and can clear 10 miles in an hour, or 16 kilometers. Not bad for 1.5-foot / 0.45-meters tall, 3-pound / 1.36 kilo contraption.

We're not totally clear on how long the thing will last without its “wheels” and insides wearing down. The OutRunner does hop and hobble a lot, and the mechanical shocks, so to speak, will pile up after a while.

It also bears noting that the OutRunner will have trouble doing its thing on surfaces that aren't perfectly level. So forest roads and woods are a no go.

The issues are only compounded in the OutRunner Performance, which can travel at 20 mph / 32 kph and last for two hours on a battery charge (the normal OutRunner has enough power for one hour).

All in all, the OutRunner is a pretty advanced product, as far as running robots go. The fact that it has the means to relay data to a smartphone in addition to being remote controlled isn't a bad extra feature.

It even has integrated sensors that can provide specialized data to area surveyors. However, as we’ve said, the robot isn't all that stable, though we suppose widening the range of the feet could help balance it a fair bit. As it is, you can only send the thing scouting dangerous areas if there's a nice enough strip of road ahead.

Or you could just get it as a toy, but it's debatable whether or not that option is all that feasible. The minimum pledge on Kickstarter is, after all, $250 / €180, not exactly the sort of cash that most people will be willing to throw on a robot that their kids will probably get tired of in a month or so. And the retail price is bound to be higher as well, if the project gets off the ground.