EXPO21XX.com
presents
Humanoids – Getting Better by the Day
Near real-live
humanoid robots are most likely to become a new species to populate the
earth in the future. Commonly called social robots, these autonomous humanoids
are being designed to accomplish chores that are increasingly becoming
unpleasant for people such as grocery shopping, carrying packages in shopping
malls, serving the sick and elderly, or even narrating stories and entertaining,
not to forget the participation in military missions. Early replicas of these
humanoids are residing in numerous robotics laboratories undergoing perfection
in their cognitive and motor-sensory abilities, appearance, behavior, speech and
how to properly chat like their human counterparts. Considering the pace in
development, it might take less than two decades before the first near real-live
humanoids replace humans at work and home.
Some of the pacesetters in this
field are the universities of Osaka in Japan, Bristol in the UK, Genoa in Italy,
and San Diego in the United States.
1. Geminoid - IRL, Osaka University
Photo Intelligent Robotics Laboratory
Professor Ishiguro of the
Intelligent Robotics Laboratory at the Osaka University addresses these
issues following some approaches in the robotics and cognitive science which
resulted in the more human-like
Repliee Q2 Humanoid, and the Geminoid, a near true-copy of himself.
>
more videos from the Android Geminoid
1.
Emotionally Expressive Agent - BRL, U of Bristol
Photo Bristol Robotics Lab
In England, the
Bristol Robotics Lab is working on techniques for the classification of
dynamic facial expressions in humans and the generation of appropriate dynamic
expression in the robot to better shape its appearance which is vital in social
role playing.
>
more videos from the BRL
3. ECCCEROBOT
Photo AI Lab
The
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the University of Zurich has developed
the ECCEROBOT (Embodied Cognition in a Compliantly Engineered Robot) which
replicates human cognitive features through sensory motoring coupling. A very
important development in this field because sensory motoring coupling will help
robots handle and control their hands and legs in near-humanlike faction.
>
more videos of the ECCEROBOT Robot
4. Ibn Sina - IRML, UA Emirates University
Photo IRML
Another
fascinating project is the
Ibn Sina Robot, the Arabic speaking humanoid robot, designed under the
direction of Prof. Nikolaos Mavridis of the Interactive Robots and Media
Laboratory (IRML) of the United Arab Emirates University. The concept behind
Ibn Sina project is to enable interaction between humans, robots and virtual
agents.
>
more
videos of the Arabic speaking humanoid robot
5. iCub - LIRA-Lab, U of Genoa
Photo LIRA-Lab
At Dr. Giorgio Metta’s Laboratory for Integrated Advanced Robotics,
LIRA-LAB, at the University of Genoa, one sees the “iCub,”
designed to imitate the learning capacity of a three-year old.
>
more videos of the iCub Humanoid
6. Einstein Robot - Machine Perception Lab, UCSD
Photo Machine Perception Lab
A more advanced and realistic
Einstein robot is under development in the Machine Perception Laboratory
at the University of San Diego. The idea behind this project is to develop
computer vision based facial expression recognition systems that perceive
and interact with humans in real time through natural communicative means.
>
more videos of the
Einstein robot
In short, humanoid science is moving at a fast pace and it will only be
a matter of time before robots will relieve us of many difficult chores
such as hard farming labor, underwater and space explorations, anxieties
of the battle field and demolition and construction work.
See other humanoids projects on our
Universities
Robotics Platform at
EXPO21XX.com.
Seth Quartey. PhD
Article Reference : 020154 | 
