Sunday 23 November 2025
Robots that walk and roll like movie characters are closer to reality than you might think. A team of researchers has successfully created a robot called TARS3D, which combines the features of a bipedal walker and a rimless wheel runner from science fiction movies.
The robot’s design is inspired by the character TARS from the movie Interstellar, who can walk on two legs and roll like a wheel. The team wanted to see if this concept could be turned into reality, so they created a prototype called TARS3D.
TARS3D has eight actuated degrees of freedom, allowing it to move in various ways. It can walk on two legs like a human, but with a unique curved foot design that allows for more stability and balance. The robot’s legs are also equipped with telescopic joints, which allow them to extend and retract like a spring.
But TARS3D is not just limited to walking. It can also roll like a wheel, using its legs to create a rimless wheel-like motion. This mode of movement allows the robot to move quickly and efficiently over long distances.
The team used a combination of analytical modeling and reinforcement learning to develop the robot’s control systems. Analytical modeling allowed them to derive closed-form equations for the robot’s walking and rolling gaits, while reinforcement learning helped them to fine-tune the robot’s movements through trial and error.
TARS3D is not just a proof-of-concept robot – it has real-world applications. For example, it could be used in search and rescue missions, where its ability to navigate rough terrain and roll over obstacles would be invaluable.
The team also plans to continue developing TARS3D, with future goals including making the robot more agile and adaptable to different environments. They hope that their work will inspire other researchers to explore new ways of designing robots and developing new technologies.
In the future, we may see TARS3D-like robots being used in a variety of applications, from search and rescue to space exploration. The possibilities are endless, and it’s exciting to think about what the future might hold for this innovative robot design.
Cite this article: “TARS3D: A Robot That Walks and Rolls Like a Science Fiction Character”, The Science Archive, 2025.
Robotics, Bipedal, Wheel Runner, Tars3D, Interstellar, Robotics Design, Search And Rescue, Reinforcement Learning, Analytical Modeling, Robot Control Systems
