Wheeled-Leg Hybrid

Diablo

World's First Direct-Drive Self-Balancing Robot

The Diablo by Direct Drive Tech is a groundbreaking wheeled-leg hybrid robot that combines the speed of wheels with the obstacle-handling ability of legs. Its direct-drive motors (no gearboxes!) provide smoother, more responsive movement and excellent force feedback—perfect for teaching physics and control systems.

Direct Drive Motors

Self Balancing

Hybrid Wheel + Leg

Zero Gearboxes

Book a Demo with Diablo

What Makes Diablo Special

⚡ Direct-Drive Technology

Unlike traditional robots with gearboxes, Diablo's motors connect directly to the wheels and legs. This means:

Higher efficiency (no gear losses)
Better force feedback / proprioception
Smoother, more responsive movement
Lower maintenance (fewer parts)
Quieter operation

⚖️ Self-Balancing System

Diablo balances dynamically using advanced control algorithms:

IMU (accelerometer + gyroscope) sensing
Real-time PID control loops
Inverted pendulum physics
Automatic stabilization
Recovers from disturbances

🦿 Wheeled-Leg Hybrid

The best of both worlds:

Wheels for speed and efficiency
Articulated legs for obstacles
Transitions between modes
Handles uneven terrain
Unique locomotion demonstrations

                    🔧 Hardware Overview
                    
                        Locomotion2 wheels + articulated legs
MotorsDirect-drive brushless
PowerLi-ion battery
SensorsIMU for balancing
ComputeEmbedded Linux system

                

Educational Value

Diablo is a physics classroom come to life

⚖️

Physics Concepts

Center of mass & gravity
Inverted pendulum dynamics
Torque and angular momentum
Energy efficiency

🎛️

Control Systems

PID controllers explained
Sensor fusion techniques
Real-time feedback loops
System stability

⚙️

Mechanical Engineering

Direct-drive vs geared systems
Motor selection & sizing
Efficiency calculations
Structural design

🚀

Future Mobility

Personal transportation
Delivery robots
Search and rescue
Assistive technology

Why Students Love Diablo

🤯

"How Does It Stay Up?"

The self-balancing demonstration sparks immediate curiosity about physics and control systems.

🦿

Unique Design

Unlike anything students have seen before—a true conversation starter about robotics innovation.

📊

Visible Physics

Watch physics happen in real-time as it recovers from pushes and navigates obstacles.

🔇

Quiet Operation

Direct-drive motors mean less noise, making it perfect for classroom environments.

🎯

Dynamic Movement

Smooth, responsive movements that look almost alive—engaging for all ages.

🤖

Future of Robotics

Shows students what's possible when engineering meets innovation.

Demo Activities by Grade Level

🎒 Elementary (K-5)

Watch it balance and move
"How does it stay upright?" discussion
Compare to a bicycle or skateboard
Simple cause-and-effect observations

📚 Middle School (6-8)

Compare to Segway technology
Discuss sensors and feedback
Center of gravity experiments
Introduction to control systems

🎓 High School (9-12)

Control theory and PID tuning
Physics of inverted pendulum
Direct-drive motor efficiency
Engineering trade-offs discussion

🏛️ University

Full SDK access (if available)
Custom control algorithms
ROS integration projects
Research applications