ETH Zurich has added wheels to the legs of the quadruped robot ANYmal, so that it can both walk and roll, and it will soon be used for urban distribution.

The latest incarnation of ANYmal was developed by Swiss-Mile, a spin-off company of ETH Zurich, and is therefore called the Swiss-Mile robot.

Like the original version, it has four legs. By locking the wheels at the ends of these legs, it can walk like a quadruped and is very convenient when climbing stairs, which is better than most other wheeled robots.

However, for moving on sidewalks, floors, and other flat surfaces, rolling is much faster and more energy efficient than walking. The Swiss-Mile robot is equipped with electric wheels and can travel at a speed of 22 km/h (14 mph). The Swiss-Mile robot can roll down a set of stairs or from the side of the road, with its legs bent, acting as a shock absorber.

The four-legged robot uses a combination of GPS, LiDAR sensors and cameras to autonomously navigate city streets and avoid obstacles. It is reported that it currently runs for two hours per charge.

The Swiss-Mile robot can stand up and roll with its rear wheels. When rolling, it is able to maintain its balance by continuously analyzing data from its onboard IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) and by analyzing the measurement results of all its 16 leg and wheel motors.

What is the meaning of Swiss-Mile robot standing? Dr. Marko Bjelonic, a co-developer of ANYmal, said that by using its front legs as arms, the robot can grab packages from customers and place them on its back. Then, it will return to its four-legged state and transport these packages by rolling quickly on the street.

The Swiss-Mile robot is planned to be put into commercial use sometime next year, and the price has not yet been announced.

Four-legged Robot Dog;

Robot dog;

Dispatching Robot.