Actroid. Humanoid robot

1. ACTROID

humanoid robot

2.

Actroid is a type of android
(humanoid robot) with strong
visual human-likeness
developed by Osaka
University and manufactured
by Kokoro Company Ltd. (the
animatronics division of
Sanrio). It was first unveiled at
the 2003 International Robot
Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan.
Several different versions of
the product have been
produced since then. In most
cases, the robot's appearance
has been modeled after an
average young woman of
Japanese descent.

3.

The Actroid woman is a
pioneer example of a real
machine similar to imagined
machines called by the
science fiction terms android
or gynoid, so far used only for
fictional robots. It can mimic
such lifelike functions as
blinking, speaking, and
breathing. The "Repliee"
models are interactive robots
with the ability to recognize
and process speech and
respond in kind.

4. Technology

Internal sensors allow Actroid
models to react with a natural
appearance by way of air
actuators placed at many
points of articulation in the
upper body. Early models had
42 points of articulation, later
models have 47. So far,
movement in the lower body
is limited. The operation of
the robot's sensory system in
tandem with its air powered
movements make it quick
enough to react to or fend off
intrusive motions, such as a
slap or a poke. Artificial
intelligence gives it the ability
to react in a different way to
more gentle kinds of touch,
such as a pat on the arm.

5. Imitator

The Actroid can also imitate human-like
behavior with slight shifts in position, head and
eye movements and the appearance of
breathing in its chest. Additionally, the robot
can be "taught" to imitate human movements
by facing a person who is wearing reflective
dots at key points on their body. By tracking the
dots with its visual system and computing limb
and joint movements to match what it sees,
this motion can then be "learned" by the robot
and repeated.

6. Communication

The interactive Actroids can
also communicate on a
rudimentary level with humans
by speaking. Microphones
within those Actroids record
the speech of a human, and this
sound is then filtered to remove
background noise - including
the sounds of the robot's own
operation. Speech recognition
software is then used to
convert the audio stream into
words and sentences, which can
then be processed by the
Actroid's A.I. A verbal response
is then given through speakers
external to the unit.

7. Non-verbal communication

Further interactivity is
achieved through non-verbal
methods. When addressed,
the interactive Actroids use a
combination of "floor sensors
and omnidirectional vision
sensors" in order to maintain
eye contact with the speaker.
In addition, the robots can
respond in limited ways to
body language and tone of
voice by changing their own
facial expressions, stance and
vocal inflection.

8. Models

The original Repliee Q1 had a
"sister" model, Repliee R1,
which is modeled after a 5year-old Japanese girl.
More advanced models were
present at Expo 2005 in Aichi
to help direct people to
specific locations and events.
Four unique faces were given
to these robots. The
ReplieeQ1-expo was modeled
after a presenter for NHK
news. To make the face of the
Repliee Q2 model, the faces
of several young Japanese
women were scanned and the
images combined into an
average composite face.

9. Actroid-DER2

The newer model Actroid-DER2 made a recent
tour of U.S. cities. At NextFest 2006, the robot
spoke English and was displayed in a standing
position and dressed in a black vinyl bodysuit. A
different Actroid-DER2 was also shown in Japan
around the same time. This new robot has more
realistic features and movements than its
predecessor.

10. Geminoid HI-1

In July 2006, another
appearance was given to the
robot. This model was built to
look like its male co-creator,
roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro,
and named Geminoid HI-1.
Controlled by a motioncapture interface, Geminoid
HI-1 can imitate Ishiguro's
body and facial movements,
and it can reproduce his voice
in sync with his motion and
posture. Ishiguro hopes to
develop the robot's humanlike presence to such a degree
that he could use it to teach
classes remotely, lecturing
from home while the
Geminoid interacts with his
classes at Osaka University.

11. Geminoid-DK

In May 2011 a Danish Lector,
Henrik Schärfe, revealed a
robotic version of himself.
Manufactured in Japan and
called a Geminoid-DK its
actions are controlled
remotely by a person
operating a computer, but it is
programmed with Schärfe's
own unique body
movements, such as shrugs
and glances.

12. Thank you for attention!