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MorpHex robot can now walk and roll

MorpHex robot can now walk and roll

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Kåre Halvorsen's morphing robot can now roll in addition to walking around.

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Morphex robot
Morphex robot

We first saw the MorpHex back in December, but at that time the morphing robot was missing one key feature — it couldn't roll. Now creator Kåre Halvorsen has released a video that shows the bot doing just that. In addition to being able to walk, the MorpHex can also pull its legs in to turn into a sphere, and the individual sections of the robot can then be used to push it in a given direction. The rolling isn't perfect, and Halvorsen says it's because right now the sphere is asymmetrical, as the upper and lower halves aren't identical. The next iteration will include a symmetrical design that should allow the MorpHex to roll easily in any direction. After that? We can only imagine a Samus Aran-style bomb jump.