Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Richard-Alexandre Peloquin

David Loyal Christensen

Morgan Thomas Pope

Grant Masaru Imahara

Tony Dohi

Günter D Niemeyer

Matthew A Estrada

A robot including a hybrid fan-based and fluid-based propulsion system to provide thrust, such as deceleration during fall to create a smooth landing or to provide a quick reduction in velocity, and to provide actuation/controlled motion, such as to hover after quick deceleration and to control orientation or pose. The hybrid propulsion system uses discharging of pressurized fluid and exhausted gas (or fluid in some cases) from ducted fans (or propellers, impellers, and the like) to provide controlled thrust and/or lift forces. The hybrid propulsion system uses of pressurized fluid for generating larger or primary thrust and quick changes in velocity. The hybrid propulsion system includes a fan-based propulsion assembly with ducted fans that use environmental air (or fluids) to provide lower or secondary thrust. Both types of propulsion can be integrated into a robot or robotic figure to move the robot during flight (e.g., during falling or hovering).

Untethered robot with hybrid air and water power for hovering and quick airborne movements

A robot system with a robot configured for locomotion about a space using ground reaction force (GRF) to provide a first level of balancing. The robot system includes force generators located on or in the robot's body or offboard in the space that act to generate balancing forces to provide a second level of balancing for the robot using non-conventional physics. Clamping of a robot's feet to a support surface is provided whenever the feet are in contact with the support surface using electromagnets in the feet and a layer of ferrous material on the support surface or using mechanical coupling techniques to temporarily anchor the foot to the support surface. A balance controller processes output of balance sensors and responds by generating control signals to operate force generators onboard the robot such as electric fans or inertial reaction wheels.

Robots with robust bipedal locomotion supported with non-conventional physics

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Glendale, CA, United States of America

Richard-Alexandre Peloquin