MIT Has Built A New Cat-like Robot and It Can Do Blackflips

You might remember that MIT has created a four-legged sort of cat-like robot a while ago but now it looks like the original also has an -excuse the pun- copycat.

Behold your new kitty overlord, cat-lovers everywhere: the Mini Cheetah robot is here and it can do what no other four-legged robot has been able to do before, according to MIT – backflips, that is.

MIT has released a new video on their YouTube channel where they showcase the robot’s abilities: it can trot around even on uneven terrain faster than your average walking speed. It can walk to the sides and prance about and can handle being shoved around easily.

Aside from the impressive backflip (which earned a heartwarming cheer from the team behind the robot, as you can see in the video), the robot kitten can get back on its feet even if it has been toppled over, which is also quite an amazing feat.

Considering its predecessor was built to be used for surveillance or manage its way around in rescue missions, we can assume the Mini Cheetah will see the same fate in the future and, if that proves to be the case, such a skill would be priceless.

It’s not clear if MIT plans to commercialize the Mini Cheetah yet. Even if it will, it might only decide to cater to businesses but, to be honest, I’m putting some money on the side. Just in case.