The Humanoid Airship

A "flying peanut" winged humanoid robot is under development for the opening of Austin's new airport.

The shape is a compromise between lifting gas volume and humanoid expression.

Wall walking is a new wrinkle. The winged humanoid is to be able to walk on a vertical wall or cieling by powering into it with its wings to provide foot traction and directional vectoring.

A persistent question is to be able to shift the robot's center of mass around its center of buoyancy, and manipulate its buoyancy so as to support wall and ceiling walking. a) balance robot neutrally and use vectored wing thrust to apply foot pressure to any surface. b) drop distributed ballast masses, vent helium, and maintain ballonets. c) shift ballast dynamically

HOW THIS MAD EFFORT BEGAN.

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