While most robot designers equipped their robots with "legs", more recent robot designers have opted for movable treads, which make continual contact with the ground over a wide area in contrast with specific spots on the ground
in contrast with
rather than at
as opposed to at
instead of
as against
msrinath
The contact of "legs" has to be contrasted with the contact of movable treads of robots, but options A,C,D & E illogically draw a contrast between wide area and specific spots. option B describes the describe the contrast in parallel terms.
My vote goes for B
I disagree. Apart from B, C also makes the correct comparison. In fact I had chosen C initially. I still think C is a better choice because the intent of the sentence is to compare and contrast the difference between the two kinds of contacts - (over a wide area AS OPPOSED TO AT specific spots) - the as opposed to is more stark as compared to Rather than which merely shows preference towards an approach versus another.
'rather than' is the correct idiom in this case.
B it is.