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Monday, February 06, 2006

Autonymous Robot can grab you a beer!

On January 23, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan unveiled its humanoid robot HRP-2. It is equipped with autonomous self-directed operation.

The robot's ability to respond to spoken human commands was demonstrated by retrieving a can of juice from a refrigerator and bringing it to the person who requested it.

The HRP-2’s head is equipped with stereoscopic cameras, which serve as eyes, and it incorporates a system that enables it to perceive its environment, and avoid any obstacles it encounters along the way. I can also self-correct its direction if it strays off course.

At the demonstration, a person seated at a table requested that the robot bring him some juice. The robot communicated this command to a second robot, which then walked to the refrigerator, moving chairs out of the way as it proceeded, opened the door of the refrigerator, retrieved a can of juice, and brought it back to the table.

AIST has also developed a robot that utilizes laser beams to get a three-dimensional understanding of its surroundings. According to the institute, “The HRP-2 is a robot that can provide assistance in real-life situations. Further integration of technology will lead to more functional enhancements in the future.”

[Source: Mainichi Shimbun]