Humanoid robots have been considered ideal for automating daily tasks, though most research has centered on bipedal locomotion. Many activities we do routinely, such as driving a car, require real-time system manipulation as well as substantial field-specific knowledge. Recent breakthroughs in natural language processing, particularly with large language models (LLMs), are … [Read more...] about Toward Fully Autonomous Aviation: PIBOT, a Humanoid Robot Pilot for Human-Centric Aircraft Cockpits
Automation
Humanoid Robot RHP Friends: Seamless Combination of Autonomous and Teleoperated Tasks in a Nursing Context
This article describes RHP Friends, a social humanoid robot developed to enable assistive robotic deployments in human-coexisting environments. As a use case application, we present its potential use in nursing by extending its capabilities to operate devices and tools according to the task and by enabling remote assistance operations. To meet a wide variety of tasks and … [Read more...] about Humanoid Robot RHP Friends: Seamless Combination of Autonomous and Teleoperated Tasks in a Nursing Context
Motion Planning for Humanoid Locomotion: Applications to Homelike Environments
“What can your humanoid robot do?” is probably the most commonly asked question that we, as roboticists, have to answer when interacting with the general public. Often, the question is framed in the familiar household or office setting, with implied expectations of robust locomotion on uneven and cluttered terrain and compliant interaction with people, objects, and the … [Read more...] about Motion Planning for Humanoid Locomotion: Applications to Homelike Environments
Digital Robot Judge: Building a Task-Centric Performance Database of Real-World Manipulation With Electronic Task Boards
Robotics aims to develop manipulation skills approaching human performance. However, skill complexity is often over- or underestimated based on individual experience, and the real-world performance gap is difficult or expensive to measure through in-person competitions. To bridge this gap, we propose a compact, internet-connected, electronic task board to measure manipulation … [Read more...] about Digital Robot Judge: Building a Task-Centric Performance Database of Real-World Manipulation With Electronic Task Boards
Future Directions in Software Engineering for Autonomous Robots: An Agenda for Trustworthiness [Opinion]
Software engineering for autonomous robots investigates the synergetic interaction of computing and robotic technologies; this synergy is both realistic and strategic. On one hand, software engineering techniques and methods have the potential to enhance the quality of the software that controls autonomous robots and the effectiveness of software development processes in the … [Read more...] about Future Directions in Software Engineering for Autonomous Robots: An Agenda for Trustworthiness [Opinion]