Meet the Robot-runner that can beat Usain Bolt

A new running robot has been crafted whose speed is faster than the fastest running man on the planet, Usain Bolt. The robot can reach up to 45mph on the treadmill and 25mph in road tests breaking the record of the Jamaican sprinter, who has the average speed of 23.7mph. The OutRunner, as it is appropriately called, is designed by Robotics Unlimited in Florida, and (naturally) is looking for funding on Kickstarter. The team hopes the novel locomotion technique will attract robot and remote control hobbyists.

It works much as you'd guess from the way it looks. The whole thing spins forward, taking the weight off the current spoke or leg and passing it to the next. But before the first spoke leaves the ground, it gives a little push, propelling the robot forward. It's actually a bit like how we run — except for the extra four legs.

Spinning keeps it stable, like a bike, and you can steer it with a controller or smartphone app. The "core" version lasts an hour and runs up to 10 mph, but the inevitable "performance" version lasts twice as long and runs twice as fast. That's more than enough to leave the average runner in the dust.


In six months time, Robotics Unlimited plan to host the first ever robotic running race where people will be able to enter their own customised machine.