Geminoid is an android that looks and moves like its prototype with very high level of resemblance. The first model of this robot (was developed in 2006), Geminoid HI-1, was the cybernetic twin of its creator, Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro from Japan, who works at Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR, based in Kyoto) and Osaka University. Now “Geminoid” is a registered trademark of ATR.[1][4][5][6]
Geminoid HI-1. [10]
The software-hardware system of Geminoid includes: teleoperation interface, control server (accessible via Internet) and directly robot.[19] Geminoid has a number of sensors and motors under its skin allowing it to react to touch, as well as show facial expressions. The robot can also be controlled remotely, using the cameras in its eyes allowing the operator to talk through a speaker.[10]
At present time there are following well-known models from the “Geminoid” series: Geminoid F, Geminoid-DK and Geminoid HI-2.
Geminoid F is a cybernetic replica of twenty years old woman. It is created as part of work of Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro at ATR and Osaka University, with collaboration from Kokoro Inc. (Tokyo, Japan).[12][15]
Geminoid-DK is designed and built (by Kokoro Inc. on base of concept was originally proposed by Hiroshi Ishiguro) as an exact copy of its master, Professor Henrik Scharfe of Aalborg University (Denmark).[8]
Geminoid HI-2 is a most sophisticated system among the robots of this series. It is 140 cm height (in sitting) and 100 cm width (including the floor panel). There is no processor in the body. Robot has 50 pneumatic actuators. Totally there are 50 degrees of freedom (head – 13, body – 15, arms and legs – 22). Robot is equipped by metal skeleton, plastic skull, urethane foam flesh, and silicone skin.[4]
Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro concentrates on the idea of making a robot that is as similar as possible to a live human being.[1] Performed projects allow to extend the limits of using of robots. Proposed technologies can be used for wide range of practical applications now and in future.
References:
1. Hiroshi Ishiguro. – Mode of access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_Ishiguro.
2. Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro | Facebook. – Mode of access: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Professor-Hiroshi-Ishiguro/43114813757.
3. Hiroshi Ishiguro (geminoidreal). – Mode of access: https://twitter.com/geminoidreal.
4. HIL. – Mode of access: http://www.geminoid.jp/en/index.html.
5. Intelligent Robotics and Communication Laboratories. – Mode of access: http://www.irc.atr.jp/en/.
6. ATR – Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International. – Mode of access: http://www.atr.co.jp/index_e.html.
7. Kokoro Company Ltd.. – Mode of access: http://www.kokoro-dreams.co.jp/english/index.html.
8. geminoid.dk. – Mode of access: http://geminoid.dk/.
9. Flickr: Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratory, ATR’s Photostream. – Mode of access: http://www.flickr.com/photos/geminoid/.
10. Robot Looks Like Inventor. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijMCSfX0RA.
11. Humanoid Robot – Geminoid HI-1 Android Prototype. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD1CdjlrTBM.
12. Female Android Geminoid F. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q4qwLknKag.
13. Geminoid Summit. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J71XWkh80nc.
14. Hiroshi Ishiguro: The Man Who Made a Copy of Himself – IEEE Spectrum. – Mode of access: http://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/humanoids/hiroshi-ishiguro-the-man-who-made-a-copy-of-himself.
15. Еще один робот клон от Хироши Ишигуро. – Mode of access: http://roboting.ru/1352-eshhe-odin-robot-klon-ot-xiroshi-ishiguro.html.
16. Android (robot). – Mode of access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_%28robot%29.
17. Андроид. – Mode of access: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B8%D0%B4.
18. Humanoid Robots : New Developments / ed. Armando Carlos de Pina Filho. – Vienna : Advanced Robotic Systems International ; I-Tech, 2007. – 582 p.
19. Humanoid Robots : Human-like Machines / ed. Matthias Hackel. – Vienna : Advanced Robotic Systems International ; I-Tech Education and Publishing, 2007. – 642 p.
20. Advances in Human-Robot Interaction / ed. Vladimir A. Kulyukin. – Vukovar : I-Tech, 2009. – 342 p.
21. Bar-Cohen Y. The Coming Robot Revolution : Expectations and Fears About Emerging Intelligent, Humanlike Machines / Yoseph Bar-Cohen, David Hanson. – New York : Springer Science ; Business Media, LLC, 2009. – 173 p.