Roboy, one of the most advanced
humanoid robots, is developed by researchers at the Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory of the University of Zurich. Their 15 project partners and over 40
engineers and scientists are constructing Roboy as a tendon-driven robot
modeled on human beings (robots usually have their motors in their joints,
giving them that robot break-dance look), so it will move almost as elegantly
as a human. Roboy will be a ‘service robot’, meaning it will execute services
independently for the convenience of human beings, as in the movie Robot &
Frank.
And since service robots share
their ‘living space’ with people, user-friendliness and safety, above all, are
of great importance, roboticists point out. Which is why ‘soft robotics’ — soft
to the touch, soft in their interaction, soft and natural in their movements —
will be important, and Roboy will be covered with ‘soft skin’, making
interacting with him safer and more pleasant. Service robots are already used
in a wide variety of areas today, including for household chores, surveillance
work and cleaning, and in hospitals and care homes.
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