What do you think a robot is?

With robots you maybe think of Gundam but it is incorrect that only humanoid robots such as Gundam are included as robots. Any smart machine which can sense, think and move is also a robot. Actually nowadays even a house can be a robot. Elevators also think and move using sensors.

Cars are also robots. Some cars even have automatic parking systems in these days. They sense, think and move. A robot is a machine equipped with sensors, computers and moving parts such as motors. However these machines are just embodying the robot. When sense recognition, artificial intelligence for thinking and the motion control technology for moving around are all added as the soul of the machines then intelligent machines will have been completed.

Let us use the humanoid robot morph3 as an example. It is a humanoid robot that we developed. You will probably be asking why I want to talk about a humanoid robot when I’ve just said “Humanoid robots are not the only robots around,” but there is a reason for that.

morph3
Jointly developed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency ERATO Kitano Symbiotic System Project and LEADING EDGE DESIGN

Hallucigenia 01
Jointly developed by fuRo and LEADING EDGE DESIGN
Photo by Yukio Shimizu

This robot is for use as a guinea pig in researching technology that can create a soul which will enable robots to sense, think and move. “morph3” does not do any cleaning but rather for use in researching technology that will enable robots to sense, think and move. We are trying to evolve something using technology.

For example, there is a future passenger car named “Hallucigenia 01” that uses robotics technology. And while the external appearance of the humanoid robot morph3 differs from that of Hallucigenia they are siblings in terms of their scientific mechanism inside.

Let me explain morph3 first. It has a total of 14 computers in its arms and legs, all of which are connected in a network. It also has 138 sensors for use in sensing things, thinking and moving around. “morph3” can move while balancing on one leg and go up fairly steep stairs. It can also move as if doing Tai Chi or stretching while remaining in full balance.

How was this mechanism applied in a car? Hallucigenia 01 looks like an insect. Its main mechanism les beneath the body. It has eight legs under its body, each of which is a robot itself. Or each individual leg contains computers, motors and sensors and is a robot which can sense, think and move. These eight robot legs move around in cooperation as if they were carrying a portable shrine (mikoshi). The robot legs have three functions, namely those of wheels, legs and hands.

Let us look at the function of the wheels. Hallucigenia 01 can move in any direction by alternately switching from one set of four wheels to the other set of four wheels. Upon seeing the function of the wheels alone you may think that “It’s just the same as a humanoid robot.”

The most remarkable feature of the robot legs is their function as hands. A robot leg finds a step in a road by itself and climbs it while keeping the car body even. Cameras have been used to do this with conventional technology but they do not work in complete darkness. Robotics researchers thought that robots would probably be able to find any steps by touch as humans do. And this is where humanoid robot technology is used. Hallucigenia 01 lifts a robot leg not in use a little off the ground, locates the step with touch sensors and then transmits that information. Similarly it can climb slopes while senses the angle it by making full use of the robot legs.

The third is the walking function. Technology for controlling attitude and moving legs from the humanoid robot is installed in Hallucigenia 01; the point being more the soul and technology than the appearance. Humanoid robots are not the only kind of robots. Nowadays even air conditioners are robots. A temperature sensor is attached to the remote control which communicates with the air conditioner. The air conditioner blows cold air throughout the entire room but the temperature sensor works so that the air conditioner does not blast air directly over the user. Air conditioners these days are very smart.

When it comes to robotics technology it is incorrect to think that the humanoid are the only robots around. Robotics technologies you may not know anything about can be found in a variety of things. I would like to show you the world of excellent robotics technology.

morph3 and Hallucigenia 01
JExtract from promotion video
(1 minute and 37 seconds, 4,679KB)
Detailed movie will be provided in Episode 6 or later.
(C) fuRo (Chiba Institute of Technology Future Robotics Technology Center) and LEADING EDGE DESIGN
(Click the image to see the movie.)

Takayuki Furuta
Director of Future Robotics Technology Center of Chiba Institute of Technology

Engaged in developing humanoid robots as the leader of the Kitano Symbiotic System Project, JST robot development group. Has been the director of the Future Robotics Technology Center of Chiba Institute of Technology since June 2003. Developed the humanoid robot “morph3” in 2002 and “Hallucigenia 01” which was produced by integrating automobile technology with robot technology in 2003.