The Walking Truck[1] or Cybernetic Walking Machine was an experimental quadrupedwalking vehicle created by General Electric in 1965.[2] It was designed by Ralph Mosher to help infantry carry equipment over rough terrain. It alternatively bore the name of "CAM", an acronym for "Cybernetic Anthropomorphous Machine".[1] It appeared in a segment of the Walter Cronkite–hosted The 20th Century in 1968.
The stepping of the robot was controlled by a human operator through foot and hand movements coupled to hydraulic valves. The complex movements of the legs and body pose were done entirely through hydraulics. The hydraulic fluid and pressure was supplied through an off-board system. The walking truck was one of the first technological hardware design applications to incorporate force feed-back to give the operator a feel of what was happening.
As of 2019, the surviving prototype can be seen at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis, Virginia.[3] The robot weighed 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) and could walk up to 5 miles per hour (8 km/h). It was exhausting to control and, according to program lead Ralph Mosher who was the designer and primary driver, operators could only drive the walking truck for a limited time.
Modern variantsedit
Plustech, a Finnish subsidiary of American agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery manufacturer John Deere, developed a "Timberjack Walking Machine"[4] or "Walking Tractor" meant to traverse forested terrain. Locomotion is provided by six articulated legs, and it is capable of moving forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally.
^ ab Paul Strauss (26 May 2011). "1960s Walking Truck: The First AT-AT?". TechnAbab.
^McKerrow, Phillip (1991). Introduction to Robotics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. ISBN0-2011-8240-8.
^ "Experimental Vehicles". Cold War. U.S. Army Transportation Corps Museum.
^ "Walking Tractor Timberjack by John Deere". The Old Robots Web Site.
Further readingedit
Tomas Kellner (20 April 2014). "This Truck Was Made For Walking". GE Global Research. General Electric.
External linksedit
A photograph of the truck.
1969 – GE Walking Truck – Ralph Mosher (American), CyberneticZoo.com
YouTube video of the "CAM"
December 15, 2023
walking, truck, confused, with, walking, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, july, 2011, learn, when, remove, this. Not to be confused with Walking bus This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Walking Truck 1 or Cybernetic Walking Machine was an experimental quadruped walking vehicle created by General Electric in 1965 2 It was designed by Ralph Mosher to help infantry carry equipment over rough terrain It alternatively bore the name of CAM an acronym for Cybernetic Anthropomorphous Machine 1 It appeared in a segment of the Walter Cronkite hosted The 20th Century in 1968 Walking truck in the U S Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis Contents 1 Operation 2 Modern variants 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksOperation editThe stepping of the robot was controlled by a human operator through foot and hand movements coupled to hydraulic valves The complex movements of the legs and body pose were done entirely through hydraulics The hydraulic fluid and pressure was supplied through an off board system The walking truck was one of the first technological hardware design applications to incorporate force feed back to give the operator a feel of what was happening As of 2019 the surviving prototype can be seen at the U S Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis Virginia 3 The robot weighed 3 000 pounds 1 400 kg and could walk up to 5 miles per hour 8 km h It was exhausting to control and according to program lead Ralph Mosher who was the designer and primary driver operators could only drive the walking truck for a limited time Modern variants editPlustech a Finnish subsidiary of American agricultural construction and forestry machinery manufacturer John Deere developed a Timberjack Walking Machine 4 or Walking Tractor meant to traverse forested terrain Locomotion is provided by six articulated legs and it is capable of moving forward backward sideways and diagonally See also editHardiman another project of Ralph Mosher s BigDog Iron Dobbin Walker Star Wars in particular the AT AT StrandbeestenReferences edit a b Paul Strauss 26 May 2011 1960s Walking Truck The First AT AT TechnAbab McKerrow Phillip 1991 Introduction to Robotics Addison Wesley Publishing Company ISBN 0 2011 8240 8 Experimental Vehicles Cold War U S Army Transportation Corps Museum Walking Tractor Timberjack by John Deere The Old Robots Web Site Further reading editTomas Kellner 20 April 2014 This Truck Was Made For Walking GE Global Research General Electric External links editA photograph of the truck 1969 GE Walking Truck Ralph Mosher American CyberneticZoo com YouTube video of the CAM Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walking Truck amp oldid 1110299242, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
