This Creepy Ostrich-Like Robot Could Be the Future of Deliveries

Agility Robotics, a spin-off business firm of Oregon State University's College of Engineering, has announced the development of a bi-pedal robot that could soon be used to make door-to-door deliveries cheaper and more efficient.

According to IEEE Spectrum, the new robot is the product of extensive theoretical research. Unlike previous robots developed at OSU, the bi-pedal robot doesn't have motors that work against each other. Developers from Agility Robotics also added steering, feet and a sealed system, making the robot able to keep working outdoors even in the rain and snow.

Dubbed as Cassie, the new robot's mobility was designed primarily to help package delivery. Despite looking a lot like the legs of an ostrich, Cassie's developers noted that it is not part of their plan to duplicate the appearance of any animal. The final appearance of Cassie was due to the leg configuration that was created by mathematical frameworks, which gave the robot its ability to be agile, efficient and robust in movement. With its hip joint with three degrees of freedom and flexible ankle joints, Cassie can stand, squat and balance on its own.

"Quite simply, robots with legs can go a lot of places that wheels cannot," explained Jonathan Hurst, chief technology officer at Agility Robotics and associate professor of robotics at OSU's College of Engineering, in a press release. He added that the invention of Cassie could make deliveries easier and faster as it will be availbe 24/7 throughout the year. 

Aside from making deliveries cheaper and hassle-free, Cassie can also be used in military and search and rescue operations. The team behind Cassie is planning to add arms and advanced sensor system to the robot to make it more autonomous.

Cassie was build and developed using the 16-month, one-million grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense.