Disney made a tiny robot vehicle that can drive up walls

According to Disney Research, the VertiGo is capable of traversing a wall quickly, and can even operate over bumpy terrain, such as masonry. The robot’s dual, maneuverable propellers give the VertiGo its thrust, while one pair of wheels provides steering capabilities.

The VertiGo robot from Disney Research and ETH Zurich can climb walls like a champ thanks to a non-traditional mode of propelling itself.

IEEE Spectrum writer asked Disney’s Paul Beardsley how the company would use a robot like VertiGo.

But not scientists at Disney Research and the Swiss institute ETH Zurich. “Weight is minimized by using a central carbon fibre baseplate, while 3D-printed parts in conjunction with carbon-rods are used for more complex three dimensional structures like the wheel suspension or the wheels themselves”.

The propellers are mounted via a two-ringed Cardan Suspension. Although Disney Research has not yet demonstrated it, they claim that VertiGo can even theoretically traverse ceilings.

He added that the “ground-wall transition” feature of VertiGo is useful in that it can alleviate need for time-consuming manual attention. The thing can also move wicked fast on the ground. “But just speaking in general, one can imagine that robots with lighting effects could be useful for entertainment effects or for wall games”, said Beardsley. By being able to pivot the propellers, it can also adjust to the wall, keeping it against the surface while moving it up.