AIST’s HRP-5P robot stands at almost six feet tall, weighs 222 pounds, and has a combined total of 37-DOF. (Image credit: AIST)
Japan’s Advanced Industrial and Science Technology (AIST) unveiled their new HRP-5P robot that can perform basic construction tasks, such as hanging drywall and plywood. The tech company is known for their bipedal human-like futuristic robots, such as the HRP-2, HRP-4, and the human-faced HRP-4C. While those previous robots focused on a more streamlined design, the HRP-5P offers a more industrial look, shedding the futuristic outer shell in favor of pure functionality.
According to the robot’s creators, “By utilizing HRP-5P as a development platform of industry-academia collaboration, it is expected that research and development for practical use of humanoid robots in building construction sites and assembly of large structures such as aircraft and ships will be accelerated.”
The HRP-5P weighs in at 222-pounds, stands nearly six-feet tall, uses a high-powered motor and drive mechanism, along with multiple motors on some joints to move and lift heavy objects. While it’s not as fluidic in its movements like a human, it makes up for it by being able to flex its joints to degrees that aren’t possible for humans. It accomplishes this by using varying degrees of freedom (DOF) for each joint- 2 DOF in the neck, 3 DOF at the waist, 8 DOF for each arm, 6 DOF for each leg, 2 DOF for each hand, that’s 37 degrees total.
The HRP-5P is autonomous and uses a complex head sensor to map its surroundings in 3D for object detection and navigation. (Image credit: AIST)
According to AIST, the HRP-5P is autonomous and uses a sophisticated sensor embedded within the head to map its surroundings in 3D for object detection and navigation. It uses machine learning via image recognition to identify objects and has a 90% success rate even when it’s in an area it hasn’t been before.
AIST sees the robot as a replacement for an aging population and a declining birth rate, which they believe will result in shortages of laborers in the construction industry. They also state the robot will allow people to focus on higher education by freeing them from manual labor.
Have a story tip? Message me at: cabe(at)element14(dot)com
http://twitter.com/Cabe_Atwell