Notes

On November 10, 2019, nine agile mini cheetah robots, built by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), were let off their leash to demonstrate their superior athletic abilities. The four-legged machines, controlled by their human creators, began with a warm-up run across the field in full formation. They then took turns maneuvering a soccer ball. As often happens in games, a couple of the team members got into a skirmish and jostled with each other until they both fell onto their backs. Fortunately, they reconciled for the grand finale — a perfectly synchronized backflip, one that would make even a world-class gymnast like Simone Biles proud!

First unveiled in March 2019, the robots are mini versions of the larger and heavier Cheetah 3, which was introduced in 2014. The inventors at MIT's Biomimetics Robotics department say though they may resemble their predecessors, the new four-legged machines are much more resilient and "virtually indestructible." Weighing in at just 20 pounds (9 kilograms), the limber robots can bend and swing their legs wide, giving them the ability to walk either right-side-up or upside down. They can also traverse through uneven terrain at about twice the speed of an average person's walking pace. As showcased on November 10, the machines can quickly right themselves if kicked to the ground and perform incredible 360-degree backflips from a standing position.