Humanoid robot with remote control: almost like the real thing

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Exploring a place, meeting people and moving through the environment - without being there yourself: This is what an invention by Italian researchers from Genoa promises.

The iCub3 robot is controlled remotely by a human and translates their physical movements directly into their own.

As in this experiment: The humanoid machine is in Venice, exploring the Biennale exhibition and interacting there with a tour guide, while the human being involved moves 300 kilometers away in Genoa.

Daniele Pucci, researcher: "What is unique about this system is the integration of these elements: a person can interact with another person verbally, non-verbally and physically through the avatar by interacting with the avatar itself."

Using special gloves and a headset with VR glasses, the human gets feedback on what the robot feels, sees and hears.

In turn, the human uses a sensor suit to give the robot instructions, for example on his posture when walking.

The artificial avatar also implements the human pilot's eye movement and facial expressions, which are recorded by the headset.

Robots and humans act almost synchronously - connected via the Internet.

Stefano Dafarra, researcher: "The cameras in the robot's head stream images at 50 frames per second. There are also speakers and microphones in the robot's head, through which the pilot can hear what is around the robot and he can speak through the robot. And it has 50 degrees of freedom of movement that humans can use to maneuver through the environment."

Its developers assess the future application possibilities of the icub3 robot in a variety of ways.

Daniele Pucci, researcher: "The outbreak of the corona pandemic has illustrated the usefulness of telepresence technologies. We can use them where people cannot reach. In medicine, such avatars could help people with physical disabilities to work or to go places around the world discover."

The robot could therefore even help the pilot in crisis areas with the rehabilitation of patients or with the development of prostheses.

By the way: The humanoid machine can also feel haptically: With sensor-controlled fingertips.

Thanks to the special suit, people can even feel from a distance when the robot is being hugged.

Without any risk of infection.