Scientists at the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory (Japan) have recently unveiled the most human-like robot ever created.
Graceful Repliee Q1 – The Robot Beauty
This robot is named Repliee Q1. Her skin is made not from hard plastic but from silicone rubber. Thanks to a system of ultra-miniature motors and sensors, she can move and respond just like a human to stimuli from her surroundings. She blinks her eyelashes and moves her limbs gracefully; she even appears to furrow her brow in thought and breath softly…
Professor Hirosi Yshihuro from Osaka University has created numerous robots before realizing the critical importance of appearance!
The professor stated: “Repliee Q1 can communicate with humans and respond to human touch. Although there are still some things we need to improve, this mechanical muse moves more expressively and naturally than other robots.”
Before creating Repliee Q1, Professor Hirosi Yshihuro developed the Repliee R1, which resembles a 5-year-old Japanese girl with relatively natural head and limb movements. Beneath the skin of the left arm of this doll, four highly sensitive tactile sensors are embedded, allowing the doll to respond based on the strength of the touch.
Shortly thereafter, under the professor’s close guidance, the “Japanese girl” was born with programmed functionalities based on the analysis of all human bodily movements. Currently, the professor continues to refine the project so that Repliee is seen as a real person.
The Housekeeper Valerie
At the beginning of 2004, there was an announcement about the creation of the housekeeper robot Valerie, designed by robotics expert Chris Willis from Texas, USA. Valerie can brew coffee, fetch the newspaper for her owner, wash dishes, dust, and is quite chatty…
According to Chris Willis, Valerie is equipped with microchips, digital boxes, and transmission lines that surpass those of existing robots like Asimo and Qrio…
However, it seems that to make Valerie a complete product, Willis needs to order unique components from various companies based on his designs.
Valerie has cameras in her eyes and mouth, so whenever she speaks, her gaze, lips, and even hair have corresponding movements. The most crucial aspect is the functionality of her hands.
Valerie has arms that can achieve 40 degrees of freedom. In contrast, the entire body of Japan’s top robot Asimo has only 35 degrees of freedom, while Valerie boasts a total of 111 degrees of freedom.
The owner can command Valerie, and currently, she responds only in English with two accents: British or American. Willis aims to enable Valerie to speak multiple languages in the future.
Following her owner’s instructions, Valerie can jot down daily tasks, clean the house, set the dining table, change burnt-out light bulbs, wash dishes, pack, and carry items weighing up to 22.6 kg. In emergencies, she can even call an ambulance or the fire department…
This housekeeper robot can also access the Internet to help her owner book flight tickets or gather the latest information about their favorite sports team. And—believe it or not—this robot can even… change outfits.
Chris Willis has made several optimistic statements, asserting that Valerie will soon be sold for $59,000, with a two-year warranty, and in about ten years, 10% of the US population will be served at home by housekeeper robots.
Đăng Bảy (Compiled)
