Kleiyn, the climbing robot.

One more unlock in robotic mobility

The University of Tokyo brings a radical solution to one of the biggest challenges in rescue and inspection robotics, mobility in confined and vertical spaces. Instead of relying on claws or suction cups, the Kleiyn is a robot that relies on the strength and flexibility of its own spine.

Unlike other quadrupeds like the Go2 or the animal that have rigid bodies and work well on flat terrain, the Kleiyn relies on an articulated spine, this flexibility allows it to curve to reduce its length and sneak into narrow spaces.

The structure of the robot has a waist joint of 40 Nm of torque and legs that operate with 3 degrees of freedom, this guarantees firm adhesion, even smooth surfaces, where it is supported with lateral pressure without the need for additional tools on the feet.

Fine control of each leg with high-powered motors and strategic joints in the knees and shoulders allows the Kleiyn to maintain balance even when completely upright.

Designed for rescue missions.

During tests, the robot climbed structures with different wall spacing and reached up to 170 mm per second. Kleiyn's versatility makes it ideal for emergency situations and hazardous industrial environments, such as a collapse or fire that humans cannot enter, this robot can curve, crawl and climb until it reaches where it is needed.

With a height of 40 cm and a weight of only 13 kg, it can be easily transported and still carries sensors such as Lidar and IMU for autonomous navigation in real time. Kleiyn is still in the testing phase and its efficiency depends on sensors, batteries and decisions made by algorithms.

The human factor remains essential and full trust in autonomous machines still generates debates about responsibility and decision-making in unpredictable contexts.