How Do You Make a Robot Walk on Mars? It's a Steep Challenge

The former is more methodical, but the latter is more efficient because it allows the robot to move faster.The researchers also outfitted versions of SpaceBok with two kinds of feet: point and planar. Or really, they’re like snowshoes with cleats, since they’re studded with projections that help the foot grip the ground.Notice the large surface area of the planar feetOnce the researchers had different configurations of gaits and feet they could use to customize the robot, they set it loose in a giant tilted sandbox loaded with material that approximates the soil found on Mars. The flat foot, the team found, made the robot slower, but they think its shape makes it more likely to safely pass over buried impediments.The robot attempts a static gait with planar feetBut the flat feet also had some drawbacks. On the other hand, you don't necessarily want to have these huge flat feet.” In the future, Kolvenbach adds, they might even be able to design a foot for SpaceBok that modifies its surface area in real time to adapt to different kinds of soils.A four-legged robot would need a similar flexibility in its gait if it were to walk the real Red Planet. And overall, because you also need some energy to suspend the weight of the robot, it will allow you to save some energy.”And here's a dynamic gait with point feetSo a future SpaceBok would need to be able to switch its gait, along with the shape of its feet.