Flexible Robot Takes A Shove

New Scientist reports that the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute of Japan has a robot. The special thing about this robot is that you can bully and kick it and it won't fall over: it'll cleverly adjust its posture and gait and remain on two feet.

"If robots are going to work alongside humans, then they will need to stand up to accidental bumps and shoves, not to mention the occasional deliberate kick. ... Theirs is the first full-size humanoid to show such steadiness – others of similar size inevitably topple over when nudged in the right spot. In experiments, the robot was subjected to repeated pushes. A virtual robot received much harder shoves."

It won't yet turn around, grab attackers' skulls, then fling them into oncoming traffic. But they're working on it.

Flexible-jointed robot is no pushover [New Scientist via Engadget]