NederlandsHumanoid robot
A humanoid robot is a robot with a human-like body: a torso, two arms and usually two legs. That lets it fit into a world built for people, from stairs to tools.
A humanoid, or human-like, robot has roughly the build of a person: a torso, a head, two arms and usually two legs. There is a reason for that. Our world is built for people, with stairs, doors, workbenches and tools at hand height. A robot with the same shape can use much of that without modifications.
How does it work?
Every joint contains a small drive: a motor with gears that turns an arm or straightens a leg. These parts are called actuators. Sensors measure the position of the joints, the force and sometimes touch. An AI model processes what the cameras see and decides what the robot does. Walking and keeping balance are hard, especially on uneven ground.
Not every robot called humanoid has legs. There are human-like robots with a torso, head and two arms on a wheeled base. Such robots are handy on a flat factory floor.
Why it matters
The news shows how fast physical skills are growing. Researchers at KAIST in South Korea had their humanoid robot push objects of up to 35 kilos and lift up to 20 kilos while walking (link). At ETH Zurich, a robot with a single learning system is taught to climb ladders, jump over obstacles and get back up on its own after a fall (link). And Figure AI has had a robot walking on a treadmill for nine days in a row, more than 560 kilometres, to track down weak spots in the hardware, according to chief executive Brett Adcock (link).
They are also starting work in factories. The German company Schaeffler opened a plant in Taicang, China, where humanoid robots assemble the joints for new robots, and according to the company, mass production of those parts begins there (link). If robots can assemble part of their own components, production can grow along with demand. The coming years will show how often a human still has to step in and how such robots perform in practice.
Articles about Humanoid robot
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AI company pays plumbers and technicians to teach robots home repairs
The American data company HUMXN is paying for repairs to plumbing, electrics and heating and cooling systems in Minneapolis, Chicago and Miami. The technician wears a camera during the job, so that robots can learn how skilled workers solve problems. The resident gets the job done for free.
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Chess-playing automaton amazes the court in Vienna
A machine that can play chess has been presented at the court of Empress Maria Theresa. Wolfgang von Kempelen's automaton beats most opponents, but the inventor keeps secret how it works.
