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comment by acyclicks
acyclicks  ·  3417 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Boston Dynamics: ATLAS bipedal robot

I wonder if Killerhurtz could be talking about a gimbal mounted flywheel system normally allowed to rotate freely, but engaged to provide balance.

I can't find any examples of flywheels being used that way, so that must be impractical as well for some reason. Maybe the space/weight constraints of needing a flywheel mounted in a sphere per axis, or maybe this scheme would impart some angular momentum on the robot during stabilization?





Killerhurtz  ·  3417 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Only reason I can see them not being used is that we haven't had balance-critical applications like these before.

Oh, except the ISS, which does use flywheels to stay at the same angle.

Power might be another issue - but it's an issue they'll have to address anyway if they want an untethered unit.

acyclicks  ·  3417 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The ISS example is really cool, thank you. I had been trying to work out the name for that type of control.