Robot Rides A Bike Without Falling

TOKYO — Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has demonstrated a bicycling robot designed to showcase the electronic component manufacturer's sensor technologies at next week's CEATEC Japan 2005 show.

CEATEC, Japan's largest electronics show runs from Oct. 4-8 in Makuhari.

Tentatively named Murata Boy, the system is an integrated machine that looks like a bicycle with a humanoid robot rider. The 50-cm-high, 5-kg robot hits speeds of up 60 cm per second. The robot can also balance on two wheels while stationary using sensors.

Receiving commands from a PC via wireless LAN, it moves forward and backward, stops and starts. Murata demonstrated the robot's balance control by running it on a 2-cm-wide balance beam.

Murata said it developed the robot to highlight its sensors and other products that can be used in robot designs. Murata Boy is equipped with four types of sensors: two gyro sensors used to detect angular velocity and inclination; an ultrasonic sensor to detect obstacles; and a shock sensor to detect rough surfaces.