The quadruped robot White Rhino, created by Zhejiang University, has managed to run 100 meters in just 16.33 seconds, setting a new Guinness World Record. This mark beats the 19.87 seconds achieved by South Korea’s Hound robot, making China the speed leader in the field of quadruped robotics.
The race took place at a test center in Hangzhou, where the robot demonstrated its speed and ability to maintain balance and execute postural adjustments in real time. Professor Wang Hongtao, the project leader, stressed that this type of test is essential to validate the technological direction of the development.
A robot dog with muscle-type actuators
White Rhino’s design did not start from a previous model, but from a strategy known as “advanced robot design,” based on simulations of physical behavior from the conceptual phase. This allowed the team to simultaneously optimize geometric proportions, motors and reduction systems to achieve maximum performance.
Its architecture is based on a set of high power density actuators that replicate the fast response and high torque characteristic of a competitive muscular system. This system is complemented by a dynamic control algorithm trained by reinforcement learning. reinforcement learningwhich allows it to execute explosive movements and maintain stability during high-speed movements.
Beyond breaking records, White Rhino was designed with a payload capacity of up to 100 kilograms, positioning it as a robot suitable for demanding tasks such as rescue operations or transportation in hostile terrain. The team’s future goal is to transform its ability to “run fast” into “run with utility” through improvements in autonomy, energy efficiency and environmental awareness.
Source and photo: Guinness World Records
