MorpHex: Robot hexapod spherical

Those minds that are dedicated to robotics, whether it is a hobby or a complete job can shape both foreign designs as attractive to the eye, and that is exactly what generates the MorpHex when one observes for the first time. Hexapods are less common (and usually more complex) than the rest of his brothers robotic, but also make us think of a crab when he walks, the detail applied to the spherical form is outstanding. It all started in November 2010, when a Norwegian engineer named Kåre Halvorsen announced the start of a project called MorpHex. One of the first objectives was that the MorpHex should move like a hexapod, and should become a hexapod to a sphere, and vice versa. Eventually, this would enable the MorpHex bearing capacity for acquiring, accessing two different methods to get around. Since then, Halvorsen on their official website has specific details about the making of this robot. Although no specific plans, the amount of "visual information" on the robot is remarkable. In late June this year, appeared the first video on YouTube showing the MorpHex without its spherical shape. One would think that would require special parts to give the MorpHex a spherical shape, but Halvorsen chose a much simpler solution: It took a globe, and separated the sections according to their need. For a moment I thought I had used some form of "Death Star" to scale, but the globe was a perfect replacement.

To Halvorsen was a year with much less time than I imagined, so that the development of MorpHex had some white space, but recently released a new video pieces hexapod integrating its spherical shape. The precision of movement is not only formidable, but for a moment that will cross your mind an image of a crab.
As Halvorsen announces it in the two videos, the MorpHex is not complete, since its function has yet to get rolling, but if there is no technical shock, should be only a matter of time. Now, I can not think of a scaled version of the MorpHex, designed to explore complex terrain, or why not, on board a rocket on a scouting mission to Mars within a few years. According to what we have seen so far, the MorpHex is a one man operation (beyond some acknowledgments at the end of each video), which makes this even more fascinating spherical hexapod. Definitely expect more news on this robot.