Humanoid Robot Walk-Man Could One Day Help Space And Rescue Missions - Scientists from Italy have developed a robot that can walk like a human, operate tools and “interact” with the environment.
Reuters
reported Friday that ‘Walk-Man’, the humanoid robot, was created by
roboticists at University of Pisa and Italian Institute of Technology -
and its central goal is to develop an anthropomorphic robotic platform
that can operate “outside the laboratory space in unstructured
environments and work spaces as a result of natural and man-made
disasters.”
In the not-so-distant future, this robot could help rescuers in
hazardous environments like for instance, places affected by radiation,
or burnt buildings.
In addition, advanced version of this foundation could also help astronomers explore deadly planets.
In case you’re wondering, almost all neighbors of Earth in the Solar
System have deadly environments - like for example, Mars. A human
standing on the Martian soil wearing only jeans and t-shirt will die
after a minute or two — and the cause of death? Internal bleeding due to
ruptured organs including skin.
Walk-Man on the other hand is a machine made of plastics and metal -
and not meat - so it can freely explore the barren wasteland of the
Earth’s reddish twin.
‘Walking Like A Man’ Robot
This humanoid robot stands more than six feet tall, weighs around 120
kilograms, has two legs, two hands - and each hand is equipped
with five fingers. Its head packs a stereo vision system and a 3D laser
scanner, allowing the robot to “see” its environment and interact with
things.
In the video report, Italian roboticists have demonstrated the humanoid robot’s ability to hold a piece of wood.
Researchers say they’re working on algorithms that will improve the
platform’s manipulation skills and reflexive behaviors that will allow
the humanoid robot to explore places with uneven terrain and perform
more rapid start and stop gait transitions.
Lead researcher Nikos Tsagarakis says human-like robots like Walk-Man
could have advantages over machines having animal or automobile
(wheeled) characteristics - because the world “won’t need to be adapted
to accommodate Walk-Man”, meaning, it can join missions with human
members like search and rescue missions after natural or man-made
disasters, or in space missions that require “human skills.”
Walk-Man is one of DARPA 2015 Robotics Challenge finalists. Source: StGist
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