Biped Locomotor

Atsuo Takanishi demonstrated his latest 'walking wheelchair' at Waseda University in Tokyo.
The leg-chair was developed at Waseda University's Humanoid Robotics Institute with Tmsuk robot researchers.

A human rides in a chair set on top of the robot legs about four feet up. With its ability to climb stairs it could render wheelchairs totally obsolete.

This latest version of the Waseda Legs, WL-16RII, is controlled by the user from joysticks in the armrests of the chair.



Eventually the research group hopes to build an autonomous set of legs that are simple to use for elderly or as a stairclimbing carrier in warehouses or, with a robot body on top, as an humanoid worker.


Videos here.

Robot legs could give Japan's elderly a lift - Yahoo! News: "Atsuo Takanishi"