Toyota’s Soft Humanoid Grasps Objects with Entire Body

The majority of humanoid robots typically use their hands to pick up objects, but this method doesn’t mimic human behavior accurately, especially when dealing with bulky items. Humans utilize not only their hands but also their chests, hips, and arms in such situations. Toyota’s innovative soft robot is designed with this human-like functionality in mind.

A Japanese-inspired Upper Torso Humanoid

Named Punyo, this humanoid research platform focuses on the upper torso. Primarily, it embodies a charming Japanese aesthetic, featuring an endearing and welcoming facial expression, reminiscent of Disney’s Baymax from Big Hero 6, and a huggable, bulky appearance. Enhancing its appeal, Punyo appears adorned in a large, cozy-looking sweater.

Certainly, the “sweater” serves a primarily hug-centric purpose. Crafted from grippy materials, it forms a soft, yielding layer atop Punyo’s rigid metal framework. Additionally, the fabric is equipped with tactile sensors, enabling Punyo to accurately perceive the texture of whatever it embraces, whether it be a person or an object it carries.

While the inclusion of dexterous hands might be a future possibility, Punyo is currently equipped with what can best be described as inflatable hooves. Toyota refers to them as paws, lacking any gripping claws. These appendages feature deformable, inflatable pads with dot patterns on their inner surfaces, monitored by cameras. This setup enables the robot to detect and identify objects upon contact as the patterns deform.

Softness Enhanced with Air-Filled Bladders

Moreover, Punyo’s arms incorporate additional softness via arrays of 13 air-filled bladders extending from the shoulders to the wrists. These bladders can be individually regulated for pressure, optimizing stiffness based on the robot’s activities.

Robotics experts from the Toyota Research Group have been training Punyo through teleoperation to manipulate various large objects. This involves techniques such as leaning forward to hug items against its chest, then leaning back to lift them. Additionally, Punyo employs more complex carrying methods, like hoisting a water jug onto its shoulder and stabilizing it from above.

Furthermore, the robot exhibits a remarkable capability to handle multiple items in its arms, and its movement while manipulating objects suggests a more natural approach compared to other robots.

Toyota’s Breakthrough in Robot Learning

In September, Toyota showcased a significant advancement in robot learning. Robots were provided with a few examples of various kitchen tasks, such as spreading condiments on bread, peeling potatoes, rolling out pizza dough, and flipping pancakes with a spatula. Through a diffusion policy learning system, the robots underwent simulated task executions over a few hours and were then able to autonomously replicate the actions they observed.

Punyo utilizes a similar AI learning process, with the added ability for the team to adjust variables regarding how closely it mimics example motions or the importance given to factors like speed, efficiency, or task accuracy.

This approach differs from what we’ve seen in other humanoid robots. While the huggy lifting behavior may not be suitable for every scenario, it holds relevance in specific situations, especially once these machines become commonplace in our homes, possibly even caring for our infants. It’s certainly a thought-provoking concept to contemplate.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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