LimX Dynamics Turns Its Walking Robot Into a Street-Roaming T-Rex

LimX Dynamics, a China-based robotics company, has recently made waves, literally, with a new video showing one of its bipedal robots transforming into a full-scale Tyrannosaurus rex right in front of your eyes. The robot, built on their slick TRON1 platform, has enough going on to catch you from the start, with a detailed T-rex skin covering body that includes a gaping head, tiny limbs, and a long swishy tail that truly looks like it’s swaying as it moves.

At first, you notice the T-rex simply chilling on the pavement while people from all walks of life gathering around. The handlers (who are clearly having fun) begin testing the robot’s equilibrium by pushing, shoving, and kicking its legs and body to see how it reacts. Every time the robot shifts its weight, it adjusts its posture and, almost miraculously, remains upright and doesn’t topple over. The entire process appears to be so seamless and quick that you presume it is owing to the TRON1’s capacity to handle sudden forces in real time without issue.

LimX Dynamics came up with the idea for a mobile interactive display for cultural tourism; they believe museums, parks, and other venues can employ the robot to attract tourists who can’t get enough of seeing a “live” dinosaur up close. They describe it a method of bringing ancient creatures into the modern world, allowing people to walk alongside them and learn via direct experience. Pretty awesome, right?

The TRON1 base undoubtedly enhances the dinosaur’s walking abilities. That platform allows for a variety of movement options, including point-foot balance for rough terrain and wheeled modes for smooth surfaces. However, in T-rex form, it relies on two legs to support the extra weight of the skin and skull.

Inside, the robot has a slew of sensors and computers that help it sense its environment; cameras detect potential obstructions, and motion detectors monitor how steady it is on its feet. When someone nudges it, the algorithm calculates modifications in the blink of an eye to keep it from tipping over. During the guided stroll, the robot obeys simple directions transmitted by the leash or remote signals, plodding along at a sluggish rate of roughly 3.1 miles per hour.

According to company representatives, the dinosaur skin simply clamps into the TRON1 frame, and teams can swap out coverings in minutes, allowing them to transform the same robot into a completely other monster if necessary. LimX Dynamics intends to start renting or selling these items to tourism venues. And for anyone who purchases one, they will send over an operator to train the staff on how to safely supervise the walks. Battery life is adequate; it provides a few hours of strong movement before requiring a short charge to restart. Maintenance is really simple; just ensure that the joints are in good functioning order and give the skin a quick wipe, and you can complete the task in less than an hour.