Humanoid robots: "Asians" against "the Europeans"

For a long time, Japan holds the world dominance in the production of "walking" robots humanoids. They have an innovative robot Waseda, an impressive number of robot HRP, tiny but agile robots Sony Qrio and Toyota Partner, and of course, the most famous "emissary" Land of the Rising Sun - like child-robot astronaut Honda Asimo, who walks, runs and climbs on ladder with sufficient accuracy. Until recently, only South Korea - with its robot Hubo and Mahru - demonstrated a humanoid with legs just as impressive as their Japanese counterparts.

Now other countries are trying to catch up on "robotic pioneers of bipedal locomotion."
Next, we consider four two-legged humanoid robot that could easily compete with the Asians. " It is worth noting that this is quite "adult" representatives of the robot race. " We do not take into account the "kids" type of Nao or components of mechanical robotic platforms that can run independently, but do not have a "trunk". This is a robot that could compete with Asimo in high-speed running or playing football.
Thus,

Robot REEM-B
The developer - the company Pal Robotics, Barcelona, Spain.

Robot REEM-B was designed for daily care to people in simple tasks. Built in 2008. Growth of the robot - 1.47 meters. He moves relatively slowly - at speeds of 1.5 kilometers per hour. However, thanks to a powerful actuator in his legs and arms, Reem-B is probably the strongest humanoid in the world. It can carry up to 12 pounds of payload in each hand. Is capable Asimo of this?

Robot JUSTIN
Developer - Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics German Space Center (DLR), city of Oberpfaffenhofen-Wessling, Germany

Justin - certainly one of the most impressive humanoid presented in recent years. His hands are oddly shaped are surprisingly nimble, and German researchers consistently trying to push the envelope in terms of design of hardware and software. Work continues on each new conference on robotics can be expected that Justin boast a new trick.

Worth pointing out that Justin is not yet in the full sense of humanoid robot. During recent demonstrations, he represented only the upper body - head, two arms and torso - that CDP be installed on a fixed basis, and on four-wheeled mobile platform. But in early 2010, researchers from DLR have already demonstrated a couple of "moving the limbs, which are likely in the near future will be kicked Justin. In this case, the legs use the same powerful engine as in the hands of the robot. The main idea of the developers - to combine based on the effects of torque control for biped balancing and walking. If the lower part of the body of Justin will be as nimble as his upper body, then the robot will be able to do things that previously did not make any robot in the world.

Robot CHARLI.
Developer - Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory of the Polytechnic Institute and the University

of Virginia, of Blacksburg, USA. Чарли называют первым многофункциональным автономным передвигающимся гуманоидным роботом в натуральную величину, построенным в Соединенных Штатах. Фактически существуют две модели робота Чарли. Первый, меньший, названный CHARLI-L, использует для передвижения сервомоторы и систему механического привода. Вторая версия, CHARLI-H, более утяжеленная, оборудована специально разработанными линейными приводами, которые будут способны двигаться так же упруго, как человеческие конечности – вместо жесткой фиксации определенных положений. Суть новый разработок исследователи Лабоработии Robotics & Mechanisms пока не раскрывают.

Robot SURENA 2
Developer - University of Advanced Vehicles Center, Tehran, Iran.

Iranian Robot Surena 2 was submitted several months ago and at first summoned the skepticism of experts. However, it is worthy can take place among these humanoid robot counterparts. His height is 1.45 meters. Until he walks slowly enough, but it does have its advantages. The robot is able to bend down, stand on one leg and even perform something like a dance.

Finally try to answer one of the main questions: why do we need robots that walk like humans on two legs? After all, mobile wheeled platform seems to be more maneuverable, easier and cheaper to produce! It seems the need to have a robot on two legs is dictated by two conditions. First, if these robots are designed for our home or work items, they will have to overcome various uneven surfaces - such as stairs, fleecy carpets. Without the "rising" feet robots can not do. And secondly, trying to build a walking two-legged robots, we can better understand how our body moves - for example, as a ballet dancer can balance on the big toe or karate kicks to make devastating blows.

Write a humanoid capable of completely mechanically repeat the motion of every muscle in our body - not an easy task. Researchers around the world are fighting over it for more than three decades, and even that is reached, it seems a little childish little steps in that direction.

Space plans in Japan: Moon base will be built by robots for robots by 2020.

Information about what Japan has big ambitions in space, find the recent confirmation in the form of various actions. One of these ambitions, Japan, the most ambitious, according to experts, is to build on the lunar surface space base. This project, valued at $ 2.2 billion, was proposed by the Japanese space agency JAXA for a long time, but only recently have funding for this project was officially approved by the Government of Japan. As part of this project in 2015 to go to the moon the spacecraft from the descent module, which will bring to the surface of humanoid robots that will be engaged in construction work. According to plans, construction and equipping of this database must be fully completed by 2020.

The key point in this program are, of course, robots, and who better than the Japanese, who are the most advanced nation in the field of robotics, will develop and produce new kinds of intelligent, self-healing, and multifunctional robots that will be needed to accomplish this task? Probably no one else.

Robots that will be sent first to the moon in 2015, will be large apparatus at 300 pounds, equipped with track system of movement, solar panels and some scientific instruments, among which are seismographs, high-definition camcorder and equipment for the collection and analysis of lunar rocks and soil . In these robots will be installed manipulators, like human hands, by which they will carry out construction work and to collect rock samples for return to Earth. The management of these robots will be primarily carried out by teams sent from Earth, but their own computer control systems will allow these robots to make decisions and perform several tasks independently.

Robots that are sent to the moon in the first place, will fulfill the role of "inspectors" who will find suitable from all points of view, the place for a future base, which is expected to be built near the South Pole of the Moon. Upon completion of this phase of the moon will go robot-builders and the necessary construction materials. New lunar base will be supplied with energy by using solar panels, and will become a platform for the deployment of new buildings and facilities, in which, subsequently, will live and work people-scientists.

Robotic Cockroach: what can we expect from robotic cockroaches?

"However, their main goal - creation of the world's first robotic cockroach, which is ..." - this quote from a university press release. Wow, that's because what are the people the main goal! Jokes, jokes, and mechanical cockroaches in their heads, as it turned out, many people. They live a little, eh?

In New Zealand there is such a university Massey (Massey University). It is trained three young men with burning eyes - Digel Olaf (Olaf Diegel), Sylvester Tile (Sylvester Thiale) and Podgiter Johann (Johann Potgieter). To ensure that their eyes do not fade away, watching Professor Glen Bright (Glen Bright).

So, what does all this good company, mechatronics - the Japanese name for industry, formed by the merger of general and electrical engineering.

Merging in unison is, we should understand well, after four announced the creation of robotic lawn mowers.

The main advantage of this device makers the ability to control call over the Internet. What have they done to her yet - Strongly unclear. They took a lawnmower Swedish company Husqvarna, which is called the Auto Mower, and this cutter for grass by itself is not a stupid thing, and it seemed like something to be improved.

Briefly about the Auto Mower. The perimeter of the lawn enclosed with wire, which mark the boundary area for mowing - leave the territory it has no Roman law. Semikilogrammovaya Auto Mower, although it squints at random, but does it honestly, around obstacles, she knows how to roll on the charging and so on. Whether we kosilschikami lawns - gnawed to the elbows - $ 1,5 thousand.

The point is also that robotokosilka designed not simply on the basis of Auto Mower, and commissioned by Husqvarna - general manager of the company, David Boyd (David Boyd) said that he could not miss the chance to support the study of New Zealanders: "We are still world leaders in production of every kind garden equipment, and our collaboration with the inventors opens new avenues for consumers. "

	At Harvard, too, do the robot cockroaches.

In general, the New Zealand quartet added Husqvarna'vskoe product of its obscure mechatronics, and they were all happy. Well, if so, then let them understand themselves: Auto Mower-it was created not even the day before, and article with us about robotic cockroaches. Those gentlemen from Massey University set out to dam every home by 2020.

Robotic cockroaches (Robotic Cockroach) in New Zealand after 18 years of that kind will be masters of all trades, or what they have there instead of hands would be: "Robot cockroach will assume most of all the household chores. He will be vacuumed, mow lawns, wash dishes, floors and windows, as well as about making the bed. " In short, the mechanical marvel is the antipode of the insect.

However, it is clear that the robot will be artfully arranged: from the "cockroach of the mother" would crawl "cockroaches-children" who will be engaged in any business small things. After five years (from 2007) New Zealand enthusiasts are going to release the first such robot on the market, and in 2020 a robot cockroach come to you.

We seem to have mentioned that the robotic cockroach dream, not only in New Zealand. Robot cockroach length of 4 feet (1 meter and 20 centimeters) is constructed in the laboratory of the University of Illinois (University of Illinois Coordinated Science Laboratory - CSL) in conjunction with the Institute name Backman (Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology). Here's the proof.

Message is called "CSL is developing a cockroach, which you can fall in love:" The oldest and in everyday use the image of the robot - it is a kind of jerry cans on wheels, like R2D2 from Star Wars. "But walking robots have many advantages in front of rolling robots.

For example, they can step over obstacles. That is why the various research centers across the country build a biped and quadruped robots, "- says a professor from CSL Narendra Ahuja (Narendra Ahuja), who with his team working on a six-legged mechanical creature.

Robot cockroach from Illinois.

The American cockroach robot has a pair of short front legs, a couple in the middle, which keeps the weight, and a couple from the rear for propulsion. For more resemblance to the original insect consulted with physiologists. The robot still sees nothing - sensors in the manufacturing process.

When everything is ready, cockroaches will be the unenviable rabotenka - its going to send and to Mars, and the North Pole - in a word to the maximum extreme - "it is in any better than to find these cockroaches in his kitchen," - joke makers.

While we're laughing, it was found that the Office of Naval Research United States (Office of Naval Research - ONR) has long funded major program, called Biomimetic Robots. In this case, biomimetika - it is an imitation of living organisms, a sort of mimicry machines (Biomimesis: to mimic life, to imitate biological systems).

The purpose of the program "is that, possessing the necessary biomechanical understanding, to create a robotic roach that is appropriate for autonomous action in unstructured environments."

It turns out that in biomimicheskoy program involving such institutions as Stanford (Stanford), Berkeley (UC Berkeley), Harvard (Harvard) and Johns Hopkins (Johns Hopkins). That Stanford portion of the program, that's Harvard, but how do we know about it.

Robotic cockroaches started at Stanford.

Quote: "Unlike conventional robots, which act very slowly, but accurately, robotic cockroach will move more like a bug: fast, but a bit messy.

Constructed on the basis of studies of insects robots will be able to emulate their structural dynamics, and simple management strategies. They will be able to overcome impassable terrain at high speed. "

What happens? That's right - robot cockroaches for military purposes. Names for combat cockroaches invented relevant - Biobot, Protobot and the like. So, one building cockroaches for washing dishes, while others - those that "we will be able to love, and the third (and maybe all together) - for the war. All, as usually happens with cockroaches: "swallow, swallow, no mercy."