Florida startup Robotics Unlimited has developed a robot called OutRunner that can bound at speeds up to 20 miles per hour.
OutRunner is a remote controlled robot that can run across different kinds of terrain such as grass, asphalt and dirt, while staying balanced and stable, according to Phys.org.
Pensacola-based Robotics Unlimited described the robot as biologically-inspired, adding that it emulates running and copies the behaviors of legged animals by reproducing their step patterns with a similar distribution of mass and length. The team said all customers have to do to operate the OutRunner is press the accelerator and steer the robot in any direction they choose.
The robot is being offered on the company's Kickstarter crowd funding website in two versions, Core and Performance, Phys.org reported.
Robotics Unlimited said Core should be used for playing around with the robot, while Performance is much more powerful. Both versions are estimated to be delivered in July 2015.
OutRunner Core is 1.5-foot tall, weighs about three pounds and has six legs. This version has a battery that lasts up to an hour and can run up to 10 mph, Engadget reported.
OutRunner Performance can run up 20 mph for up to two hours, has 12 legs, stands at two-feet tall and weighs five pounds. Users can also control this version with an app. In addition, Performance can live stream video to a smartphone.
OutRunner Core is available for $249, and OutRunner Performance is available for $799, Geeky Gadgets reported.
Robotics Unlimited is looking to raise $150,000, which will be used to help finish the design and produce the first units, Phys.org reported. The company said it is in the final stage of development and is using crowdfunding to finish the robot's design and set up facilities for manufacturing.
"Currently, we are proud to be designing and manufacturing the OutRunner in the United States and hope to keep it this way," the company said. "We have already identified some manufacturers to help us ramp up our production."
