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Humanoid Robot Can Quickly Learn Movement and Coordination
Betterhumans Staff
[Friday, March 28, 2003]

A new humanoid robot has been unveiled that uses a neural network to quickly learn movement and motor coordination.

Called HOAP-2, the robot is the next-generation of the HOAP line built by Fujitsu.

Looking like a crude version of Honda's Asimo, HOAP-2 is half a meter tall and weighs seven kilograms.

Fujitsu will start taking orders for the robot next month and plans to ship to Japanese customers in July.

Hardware, software

The robot uses the Linux operating system, an Intel Pentium III processor running at 700MHz and a USB port through which users can download code.

It also relies on a reconfigurable neural network that utilizes Central Pattern Generator and numerical perturbation technology.

The robot combines the neural network with a Fujitsu program called Humanoid Movement-Generation System.

The overall result, says the company, is minimized software code for motional control -- less than one-tenth that used in conventional systems, Fujitsu claims.

More details of HOAP-2 will be made public at Robodex 2003, in Yokohama, Japan from April 3 to 6.