THE BEGINNING
Six legs are an
invitation.
A hexapod is any animal or machine with six legs. It is one of nature’s most successful movement systems—and a perpetual source of inspiration for engineers.
THE SHORT VERSION
Stable. Adaptable.
Remarkable.
Hexapods have enough legs to keep three points of contact with the ground while the other three move forward. This alternating tripod gait gives them a secure, graceful way to navigate uncertain terrain.
In biology, the word mainly describes insects. In engineering, it describes robots that borrow this configuration to cross obstacles, explore unfamiliar spaces, or simply make locomotion more fun to study.
Read the full story →