There are robots who can do neat tricks - like hold an intelligent conversation or build bridges. However, none of them come close to Motobot, Yamaha's new humanoid robot, in terms of coolness and ambition. It is being developed to surpass humans in one particular area: motorcycle riding.
Motobot is an autonomous robot that can ride a modified motorcycle. It is based on the combination of Yamaha's motorcycle technology and robotics. The Japanese company ultimately aims to develop a better version that can best what humans can do. It is expected that future versions will be able to ride an unmodified motorcycle, and speed through a racetrack at more than 200km/h.
Presently, Motobot is still within research and development stage and is still slower, requiring a bit of support from its designers. Nonetheless, the prototype is still amazing in action.
Watch it in the video below.
Yamaha built Motobot as part of its goal to create advanced rider safety and rider support systems. Think of the robot as a creative solution to unusual problem instead of an attempt to beat human riders - it is only icing on the cake, noted Engadget.
Indeed, Motobot is crucial in "the task of controlling the complex motions of a motorcycle at high speeds, [which] requires a variety of control systems that must function with a high degree of accuracy," Yamaha said on its website.
While Motobot can be considered part of current robotics innovation, it is not the first robot to ride a motorcycle. This distinction is claimed by Flossie, a robot that rides a motorcycle through immense heat and cold, Popular Science reported.
