Robotics expert: Legs will be more robust and safer long-term, but wheels work best now
chris_j_paxton · x · 2026-08-03
Robotics expert Chris Paxton argues that without long-term mobile manipulation deployments, everything is premature. Wheels work best currently, but over the mid-to-long term, legged robots will be more robust and safer.
He gives examples: if someone runs into a wheeled robot from the side, or the arm moves quickly causing high lateral force, a legged robot can adapt and catch itself, fall safely, and get up.
He also notes that many cool robot videos are based on human motion mimicking, which doesn't use legs to their full potential.
More from Embodied
- ABB and Massive Dimension Unveil 6-Axis 3D Printing Robot — lukas_m_ziegler · 2026-08-03
- Open Source Tool Lichtblick: In-Browser Robotics Data Visualization and Diagnostics — tom_doerr · 2026-08-03
- Y Combinator Showcases Embodied Robot Cosmic-1 — ycombinator · 2026-08-03
- Robot Weaponization Regulation Lags Behind LLM Safety Standards — alex_verem · 2026-08-03
- Robot Deployment Pain Points: Choosing the Right 3D Printing Material for Grippers — DominiqueCAPaul · 2026-08-03
- Lambda Surgical Raises $6.5M to Build World Models for the Human Body — ditzikow · 2026-08-03