Trends
Who invented the humanoid robot?
The development of humanoid robots like WABOT-1, Asimo, and Atlas represents a collaborative and evolutionary journey in robotics.
Headline
The development of humanoid robots like WABOT-1, Asimo, and Atlas represents a collaborative and evolutionary journey in robotics.
Context
The development of humanoid robots is an interdisciplinary and intergenerational history in the development of science and technology, which has involved many innovators, with each scientist or engineer contributing at different stages. Also read: Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, may debut in 2025
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
Four laboratories in the School of Science & Engineering of Waseda University joined to set up “The Bio-engineering group” which started the WABOT project in 1970. The WABOT-1 was the first fun-scale anthropomorphic robot developed in the world. It consisted of a limb-control system, a vision system, and a conversation system. The WABOT-1 was able to communicate with a person in Japanese and to measure distances and directions to objects using external receptors, artificial ears and eyes, and an artificial mouth. The WABOT-1 walked with his lower limbs and was able to grip and transport objects with hands that used tactile sensors. It was estimated that the WABOT-1 has the mental faculty of a one-and-half-year-old child. WABOT-1 consisted of the WAM-4 (as its artificial hands) and the WL-5 (Its artificial legs). In 1980, laboratories joined in a joint project again and commenced the WABOT-2 project. Playing a keyboard instrument was set up as an intelligent task that the WABOT-2 aimed to accomplish, since an artistic activity such as playing a keyboard instrument would require human-like intelligence and dexterity. Therefore, the WABOT-2 was defined as a “specialist robot” rather than a versatile robot like the WABOT-1. The robot musician WABOT-2 can converse with a person, read a normal musical score with his eye, and play tunes of average difficulty on an electronic organ. The WABOT-2 is also able to accompany a person while he listens to the person singing. The WABOT-2 was the first milestone in developing a “personal robot”.
Key Points
- The WABOT project of 1970 highlighted Waseda University’s pioneering role in the development of humanoid robots, beginning with the multifunctional WABOT-1 and evolving to the musically adept WABOT-2, marking significant advancements in the field of robotic engineering and…
- Asimo, a humanoid robot developed by Honda since 1986, served as a pioneering ambassador for robotics, capable of human-like movements such as running, dancing, and playing soccer.
- ChatGPT Atlas, a bipedal humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics with DARPA funding, is designed to assist in search and rescue operations, equipped with advanced mobility and fine motor skills, drawing from technologies developed in earlier models like PETMAN.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
