UCLA Invents the World’s Fastest Humanoid Robot: ARTEMIS

The Samueli School of Engineering of The University of California (UCLA) has not only created the first humanoid robot in an academic environment but also the world’s fastest.

The UCLA student researchers developed Advanced Robotic Technology for Enhanced Mobility and Improved Stability, or ARTEMIS for short, as a general-purpose humanoid robot with a focus on bipedal locomotion across uneven terrain. Using actuators that function as biological muscles, ARTEMIS movements are springy and force-controlled giving it more stability when it sprints, jumps, and walks on uneven and unstable terrains.

ARTEMIS can even maintain its footing when it’s forcibly pushed or shoved. As stated by Dennis Hong, a UCLA mechanical and aerospace engineering professional and director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa), “The main innovation is the key behind its excellent balance while walking on uneven terrains and its ability to run — getting both feet off the ground while in motion”.

ARTEMIS has come a long way from being developed inside the RoMeLa as the humanoid robot is set to compete in a soccer match at the 2023 RoboCup in Bordeaux, France. With a timed walking record speed of 2.1 meters per second, ARTEMIS may not only be the fastest humanoid robot in the RoboCup but also in the world as of writing.

In preparation for the RoboCup, ARTEMIS is undergoing robot training where its running and soccer-playing abilities will be thoroughly evaluated in the UCLA Intramural Field. “We’re very excited to take ARTEMIS out for field testing here at UCLA, and we see this as an opportunity to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to a much wider audience,” Hong said.

With ARTEMIS and Cassie the Bipedal Robot setting world records, one can truly be excited about what may be next in the field of robotics.