page_title: Robot locomotion
section_title: Rolling
hierarchical_section_title: Robot locomotion / Types of locomotion / Rolling
caption_attribution_description: Segway - On the Robot museum in Nagoya 日本語: セグウェイ　ロボットミュージアム in 名古屋にて
context_page_description: Robot locomotion is the collective name for the various methods that robots use to transport themselves from place to place.
  Wheeled robots are typically quite energy efficient and simple to control. However, other forms of locomotion may be more appropriate for a number of reasons, for example traversing rough terrain, as well as moving and interacting in human environments. Furthermore, studying bipedal and insect-like robots may beneficially impact on biomechanics.
  A major goal in this field is in developing capabilities for robots to autonomously decide how, when, and where to move. However, coordinating numerous robot joints for even simple matters, like negotiating stairs, is difficult. Autonomous robot locomotion is a major technological obstacle for many areas of robotics, such as humanoids.
context_section_description: In terms of energy efficiency on flat surfaces, wheeled robots are the most efficient. This is because an ideal rolling (but not slipping) wheel loses no energy. A wheel rolling at a given velocity needs no input to maintain its motion. This is in contrast to legged robots which suffer an impact with the ground at heelstrike and lose energy as a result.
  For simplicity most mobile robots have four wheels or a number of continuous tracks. Some researchers have tried to create more complex wheeled robots with only one or two wheels. These can have certain advantages such as greater efficiency and reduced parts, as well as allowing a robot to navigate in confined places that a four-wheeled robot would not be able to.
  Examples:
  Boe-Bot,
  Cosmobot,
  Elmer,
  Elsie,
  Enon,
  HERO,
  IRobot Create,
  iRobot's Roomba,
  Johns Hopkins Beast,
  Land Walker,
  Modulus robot,
  Musa,
  Omnibot,
  PaPeRo,
  Phobot,
  Pocketdelta robot,
  Push the Talking Trash Can,
  RB5X,
  Rovio,
  Seropi,
  Shakey the robot,
  Sony Rolly,
  Spykee,
  TiLR,
  Topo,
  TR Araña, and
  Wakamaru.
caption: Segway in the Robot museum in Nagoya.
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