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The quadrupeds include almost all the mammals. (Among the exceptions are whales, bats, and humans.) The Greek equivalent of this Latin word is tetrapod. However, the two are not identical, since the tetrapod classification includes bipeds such as birds, in which two of the limbs are no longer used for walking. Insects all have six legs, of course, and in the sea there are eight-legged octopods (including the octopus). But there are no animals of any kind with an odd number of legs.
Examples of quadruped in a Sentence
Horses and cows are quadrupeds.
Recent Examples on the Web
And since Aibo’s debut, the company has sold more than 170,000 of the cute little quadrupeds—a huge number considering their price of several thousand dollars each.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 9 Dec. 2024
This paper contributes to quantifying the notion of robotic fitness by developing a set of necessary conditions that determine whether a small quadruped has the ability to open a class of doors or climb a class of stairs using only quasi-static maneuvers.
—Erico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 2 June 2017
The startup's Honey Badger quadruped has now gone through four iterations, and the latest has developed a taste for water.
—Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2024
The quadruped has some other useful capabilities that put it ahead of small drones.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024
Though robot quadrupeds can be fast, agile, useful and perhaps even cute, padding around on all fours might not be suitable for all situations.
—Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 31 July 2024
While unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been remotely delivering lethal force under human command for at least two decades, the rise of inexpensive robotic quadrupeds—some available for as little as $1,600—has led to a new round of experimentation with strapping weapons to their backs.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 8 May 2024
Hutter: There’s a lot of ongoing research on quadrupeds with arms, and the nice thing is that these technologies that are developed for mobile systems with arms are the same technologies that are used in humanoids.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Apr. 2024
Sauropods were massive, herbivorous quadrupeds easily recognizable for their long necks, if not their huge bodies.
—Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024
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IEEE Spectrum, 9 Dec. 2024
This paper contributes to quantifying the notion of robotic fitness by developing a set of necessary conditions that determine whether a small quadruped has the ability to open a class of doors or climb a class of stairs using only quasi-static maneuvers.
—Erico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 2 June 2017
The startup's Honey Badger quadruped has now gone through four iterations, and the latest has developed a taste for water.
—Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2024
The quadruped has some other useful capabilities that put it ahead of small drones.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024
Though robot quadrupeds can be fast, agile, useful and perhaps even cute, padding around on all fours might not be suitable for all situations.
—Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 31 July 2024
While unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been remotely delivering lethal force under human command for at least two decades, the rise of inexpensive robotic quadrupeds—some available for as little as $1,600—has led to a new round of experimentation with strapping weapons to their backs.
—Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 8 May 2024
Hutter: There’s a lot of ongoing research on quadrupeds with arms, and the nice thing is that these technologies that are developed for mobile systems with arms are the same technologies that are used in humanoids.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Apr. 2024
Sauropods were massive, herbivorous quadrupeds easily recognizable for their long necks, if not their huge bodies.
—Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Quadruped.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quadruped. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quadruped
noun
quad·ru·ped
ˈkwäd-rə-ˌped 
: an animal having four feet
Medical Definition
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