real6
12-08-2009, 07:47 PM
http://eccerobot.org/
Standard humanoid robots mimic the human form, but the mechanisms used in such robots are very different from those in humans, and the characteristics of the robots reflect this. This places severe limitations on the kinds of interactions such robots can engage in, on the knowledge they can acquire of their environment, and therefore on the nature of their cognitive engagement with the environment. However, a new kind of robot is just beginning to emerge – the anthropomimetic robot. Instead of just copying the outward form of a human, it copies the inner structures and mechanisms – bones, joints, muscles, and tendons – and thus has the potential for human‐like action and interaction in the world. Unfortunately, there are as yet no established methods for controlling such robots, or even for describing their intrinsic movement patterns.
ECCEROBOT emulates your musculoskeletal system, looks like Beaker from the Muppets
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/eccerobot-emulates-your-musculoskeletal-system-looks-like-beake/
Anthropomimetic robots. It's not something that rolls off the tongue, but the ECCEROBOT is just such a robot, and it's really a sight to behold. Developed by a consortium of European robotics labs, the motivation behind the creation is to more accurately copy human internal structure, using thermoplastic polymer for bones, screwdriver motors and shock cord for muscle, and kiteline for tendons. The results are impressive, if not a bit creepy. According to IEEE Spectrum, scientists hope in the future to use ECCEROBOT's human-like form to "explore human-like cognitive features," which may or may not include starring opposite Christian Bale in science fiction films. See for yourself in the video after the break.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/blog/robotics/robotics-software/automaton/eccerobot-anthropomimetic-humanoid-robot
Anthropomimetic Robot Copies Inner Structures of Human Body
A consortium of European robotics labs is developing a humanoid robot by copying not only the overall form of the human body but also its inner structures: bones, joints, muscles, and tendons. The goal of the ECCEROBOT project is to create an anthropomimetic robot whose body moves and interacts with the physical world in the same way our flesh bodies do. The researchers used thermoplastic polymer, elastic cords, and other soft, flexible materials to build the torso, arms, and hands.
One potential advantage, according to the researchers: shake hands with ECCE and it won't crush your bones.
The result is fascinating, if a bit creepy. The robot looks eerily organic, with parts that look like bone and muscle. The researchers say that humanoids built with metal parts and electric motors and actuators have limitations in the kinds of interactions they can have with humans and the environment. Indeed, they say, these limitations may affect their ability to perceive and "internalize" the world around them.
The big challenge now is devising methods for controlling such flexible (the technical term is compliant) robots. The researchers say there's a lot of work to do in terms of understanding intrinsic movement patterns and being able to model and control these movements. Once they make progress in that direction, their ultimate goal is to use the robot's human-like characteristics to explore human-like cognitive features.
The consortium, led by the University of Sussex (UK), includes Technische Universität München (Germany), Universität Zürich (Switzerland), Elektrotehnicki Fakultet Universitet u Beogradu (Serbia), and the Robot Studio (France).
Standard humanoid robots mimic the human form, but the mechanisms used in such robots are very different from those in humans, and the characteristics of the robots reflect this. This places severe limitations on the kinds of interactions such robots can engage in, on the knowledge they can acquire of their environment, and therefore on the nature of their cognitive engagement with the environment. However, a new kind of robot is just beginning to emerge – the anthropomimetic robot. Instead of just copying the outward form of a human, it copies the inner structures and mechanisms – bones, joints, muscles, and tendons – and thus has the potential for human‐like action and interaction in the world. Unfortunately, there are as yet no established methods for controlling such robots, or even for describing their intrinsic movement patterns.
ECCEROBOT emulates your musculoskeletal system, looks like Beaker from the Muppets
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/eccerobot-emulates-your-musculoskeletal-system-looks-like-beake/
Anthropomimetic robots. It's not something that rolls off the tongue, but the ECCEROBOT is just such a robot, and it's really a sight to behold. Developed by a consortium of European robotics labs, the motivation behind the creation is to more accurately copy human internal structure, using thermoplastic polymer for bones, screwdriver motors and shock cord for muscle, and kiteline for tendons. The results are impressive, if not a bit creepy. According to IEEE Spectrum, scientists hope in the future to use ECCEROBOT's human-like form to "explore human-like cognitive features," which may or may not include starring opposite Christian Bale in science fiction films. See for yourself in the video after the break.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/blog/robotics/robotics-software/automaton/eccerobot-anthropomimetic-humanoid-robot
Anthropomimetic Robot Copies Inner Structures of Human Body
A consortium of European robotics labs is developing a humanoid robot by copying not only the overall form of the human body but also its inner structures: bones, joints, muscles, and tendons. The goal of the ECCEROBOT project is to create an anthropomimetic robot whose body moves and interacts with the physical world in the same way our flesh bodies do. The researchers used thermoplastic polymer, elastic cords, and other soft, flexible materials to build the torso, arms, and hands.
One potential advantage, according to the researchers: shake hands with ECCE and it won't crush your bones.
The result is fascinating, if a bit creepy. The robot looks eerily organic, with parts that look like bone and muscle. The researchers say that humanoids built with metal parts and electric motors and actuators have limitations in the kinds of interactions they can have with humans and the environment. Indeed, they say, these limitations may affect their ability to perceive and "internalize" the world around them.
The big challenge now is devising methods for controlling such flexible (the technical term is compliant) robots. The researchers say there's a lot of work to do in terms of understanding intrinsic movement patterns and being able to model and control these movements. Once they make progress in that direction, their ultimate goal is to use the robot's human-like characteristics to explore human-like cognitive features.
The consortium, led by the University of Sussex (UK), includes Technische Universität München (Germany), Universität Zürich (Switzerland), Elektrotehnicki Fakultet Universitet u Beogradu (Serbia), and the Robot Studio (France).