DTN 112: Robotic Horses

“We’re living through a period of massive cultural, institutional, and technological shifts. When things are in flux, gaps open up. If you have the right people and capital, you can step into those gaps and build the next generation of institutions and companies.”

“In a break from tradition, Kawasaki, a Japanese motorcycle maker, has announced plans to build a new breed of off-road machine shaped like a robotic horse. Corleo, as the machine is called, has a body like a headless steed, complete with four multi-jointed legs powered by electric motors. A pair of handlebars serves as reins and adjustable leg supports, of the kind found on motorbikes, pass for stirrups. Corleo will also not require a farrier: instead of being shod with steel horseshoes, its hooves are clad in rubber. This will help it absorb shocks and improve its grip.

Like a real horse, the rider will control it by moving their hands, arms and legs as well as by shifting their weight about. These movements, which can be very subtle in real equestrians, are detected by a combination of sensors, with the data passed on to an artificial-intelligence system that instructs the motors to respond accordingly and to maintain the robot’s balance. Once development is completed, Corleo could carry two people and be able to break into a swift canter.”