Scientists from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) and University of Pisa in Italy have developed an anthropomorphic robot that can use human tools and interact with its surrounding environment in the same way as a human. The researchers hope that the robot, colloquially known as Walk-Man, will find use in search and rescue situations that are too dangerous for humans to engage in. Lead researcher Nikos Tsagarakis believes Walk-Man will be well accommodated in the human world, meaning it could eventually navigate damaged buildings and be used to lift fallen masonry, for example. Humanoid robots could be the best way to integrate the technology into society more easily than wheeled and animal-shaped robots, writes Stuff.
“There’s one factor that everyone agrees, that actually our world, our environment it was designed for our body basically,” Tsagarakis told Reuters. “So, we have tools that are designed to be grasped by humanoid, human hands. You have also areas or access paths that are actually appropriate for our body forms. So it means that if you build a robot that has a very similar form, you need to adapt less the environment in order to have this robot operational within such a space.” In difficult environments, Walk-Man can maintain stability and balance by using all of its extremities to support itself over obstacles and other barriers.The researchers are aiming to enable the robot to demonstrate human movements that include locomotion, balance and environmental manipulation capabilities.
“We believe that, as humans also do, that legs are not only enough. You have to use also the arms, you have to be able to grasp the environment and actually assist your locomotion by creating additional contacts with the environmental balance,” Tsagarakis said. “This will make a big difference in humanoids where currently the technology is limited to the solutions that provide the balance basically only using the lower body. Upper body is also important, especially if you want to pass through cluttered spaces and structural grounds and so on.” Walk-Man measures 1.85 metres tall and has an arm span totally two meters. The Robot weighs 260 pounds and features a stereo vision system and rotating 3D laser scanner in its head module additions that allow the robot to make sense of its environment.
With the successful development of the prototype, researchers are now looking to create more advanced algorithms that will allow Walk-Man to possess rapid manipulation skills and reflexive behaviors that will allow the robot to navigate uneven terrain and the ability to stop and start quickly. The researchers hope that that they can develop the technology to ensure the robot can operate autonomously with the cognitive ability to support this. However, when faced with complex problems, a human operator will still be able to take control of the robot.
“The idea with this robot is that will always be some pilots at the back, that will be remotely placed and actually guide the robot in any case that a decision needs to be made. The robot will transfer data, like perception data, back to the operator, and the operator will take the actions and decide what the next movement for the robot is,” said Tsagarakis. The scientists are not too concerned with increasing the robots’ speed, as this will raise the risk of having an accident, he said.
For more information please visit: www.walk-man.eu
