China has developed a portable robot that transforms people into centaurs and assists in transporting cargo.

Centaur‑Robot: A New Way to Carry Heavy Loads

*Chinese engineers from the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen have created a “wearable” robot that resembles the mythical centaur. The platform combines a human with a robotic leg system to ease the transport of heavy loads over rough terrain.*

How It Works
Component | Function
Human | Controls direction and balance, leading the platform.
Robotic legs | Move in parallel with the human’s, creating continuous linkage through an elastic attachment on the back.
Elastic system with nonlinear stiffness | Compensates for cargo vibrations and smooths movement over uneven ground.

The platform not only keeps the load vertical but also adjusts the user’s balance toward their center of gravity, thereby saving human effort.

Test Results
* Cargo weight – about 20 kg
* Energy savings – 35 % compared with walking without support.
* Foot pressure reduction – 52 %.
* Load carried by the robot – over 52 %.

At the same time, the system preserves a natural gait: the step adapts to the partner’s movement, and the course remains stable with minimal deviations in either direction.

Advantages and Prospects
* Intuitiveness – the human controls balance and direction; the robot does the main mechanical work.
* Efficiency – reduces muscle and joint load, saves energy.
* Applications – military logistics, rescue operations, industrial work, transportation over difficult terrain.

Developers emphasize that the “centaur” does not require complex computing systems (“brains”), so it can be deployed today.