Robugtix’s New Z6 Robot Can Navigate Confined Spaces and Irregular Terrain

Hong Kong-based robotics company Robugtix are known for their spider-bots such as the RoboNOPE Giant Black Widow, W6, and the creepy T8X. While staying on the spider trend, Robugtix recently unveiled the Z6 spider-bot described as a “portable and foldable robot for use in professional environments.”

The Z6 measures out at 7.8 x 9 x 5.4-inches when folded into its compact form, meaning it’s small enough to fit inside a backpack. Those numbers jump to 20.5 x 19.3 x 6.7-inches when the Z6 deploys and is controlled using a Wi-Fi-enabled joystick with integrated monitor for navigating the robot and observing its surroundings — making it an excellent bot for search and rescue operations in confined spaces, exploration, and hazardous environment inspections.

The Z6 features an integrated camera for streaming real-time video, is capable of climbing stairs and other irregular terrain, can roll over and upright itself if required, and can even carry small payloads such as additional cameras, grippers or sensing equipment. The robot is outfitted with 18 motorized joints with 3DOF per leg, an onboard accelerometer/gyroscope, as well as sensors housed in each footpad to detect surface contacts.

The Z6 uses a modified version of Robugtix’s Bigfoot Robotics Engine Pro that powers its earlier robot-bugs and uses a rechargeable battery system (unknown at this time) to power the robot. Robugtix states the Z6 is still patent pending, and there is no word yet on when it will become available or at what price-point, but considering the T8X retails at $950, chances are the compact, modular Z6 will cost around the same, if not more.