Toyota Demos 'Partner Robots'

angryflute writes "Toyota has created a walker robot that the driver sits in and controls. It's meant for handicapped people to get around with, but you can easily see the potential for this technology to become the basis for a real-world version of an AT-ST Scout Walker or mobile suit Gundam -- just add guns!" Gizmodo has some more pictures.

Comments

Only in Japan

[BWJones]

Robots this cool and bizarre could only come from Japan. Normally, I am a fan of form following function, but am reminded in these robots of everything cool about design from a Japanese ethic. Their principal application of providing the handicapped with greater mobility is one that we are familiar with in our lab. One of our fellows is in a wheelchair (polio) and sometimes accessibility is still a problem for him, particularly obtaining things that are above his reach. Certainly the Segway folks have worked in this area before, but their form absolutely followed function and had very little of the design sensibility of Toyotas products. I also can find almost nothing on their site about products for the handicapped anymore. What happened? Has Segway abandoned all their accessibility products in favor of the HT?

Also, I imagine that since the US Army has an overriding interest in enhancing personal mobility, that they too will be paying Toyota a visit.

Re:Only in Japan

[krymsin01]

When automobile (think: tanks) were introduced during world war I to the battle field, they were highly impractical and were considered an imparement rather that as a tacticle avantage.

two words...

[nusratt]

bigger doors.

Didn't RTFA, just looked at the pix.
But, if these things are to be practical for "handicapped" people, buildings will need MUCH bigger doors, wider aisles between office cubicles, wider hallways in homes, and higher ceilings in many places -- not to mention bigger cargo doors in personal vans, etc.

Too tall, too wide, too long

[LeiGong]

Am I the only one that notice just how tall, wide, and long these things are? They would be impractical to use for any day-to-day operation. The standing robot looks to be 8' tall and its feet looks to be 1'x2'. It would hardly be able to climb stairs with ease. Doorways, staircases, and almost all archways in Japan are smaller and more cramped than their US counter-part. I just don't see this thing fitting into a Japanese-sized apartment or office.

The other robotic device would need to run on the street because it looks 50% larger than our current electric wheelchairs and is about as long as motorcycle. I mean sure they look cool and sound great. But when you consider its practical applications, especially in Japan, it's just rediculous.

And WTF is up with that chick dressed up in the white latex suit?!? I mean really...WTF?!?

Physics is against Robotech Creations...

[Mr. Flibble]

A friend of mine, who ironically is a tanker in the military fully believes that robotech battlemechs will one day be a reality. Surprisingly, he does not realize that one of the advantages that a tank has is a low profile. Granted, it does not have legs to walk around with, so it a little less mobile. However, if you are dealing with insurgents who have RPG's, or even other tanks, having a high profile is BAD. Even if you had armor that was strong enough to withstand multiple hits, the sheer force of a hit would cause a mech to topple, or at the very least lose balance.

While large mechs would be cool, they would be all to prone to getting blown up. Just giant walking targets. Now, smaller mechs, about the size of an Abrams would be mobile, and act as armor for troops would be more practical than building size robots - but Giant Mechs? Not likely. (All the above is assuming you over come all the other physical limits such as structural stress etc...)

Mech wheelchairs are a good idea however.

Re:Physics is against Robotech Creations...

[makohund]

Go in between.

Something capable of 2 legged upright motion.

But also capable of dropping horizontal to the surface. (Just like a real soldier)

Like an ant. Give it 6 limbs. Bottom two work as legs when upright, top two as arms. (Perhaps middle pair fold to sides.) Make the back most heavily armoured. Drop to ground to scurry around quickly like an ant, with a low profile. Stand up for longer range vision, more humanoid mobility, etc.

Engineering is against it too . . .

[Bagheera]

The Mech vs Tank discussion is one that I've been into too many times to count. Bottom line is Mecha are cool to look at, but inherently too complex to be especially useful on the battlefield. Those knees are going to be inherently more fragile than a tank's suspension, and the point loading on the feet will be higher than with tracks.

Now, Toyota's application of "walker" technology for aiding the handicapped is exceptionally cool. They've still got to beat the complexity issue (a more or less conventional powered chair is cheaper and less complex) but it IS a clever way to get around the fact that most buildings are designed around people with legs, rather than people with wheels. Power chairs still mostly have trouble with stairs.

Re:DARPA has been looking at exoskeletons....

[Fiz Ocelot]

In my opinion I think the Darpa mechanized suit idea seems more well suited for most people. You wear it, thus it's not very big compared to the japanese machine you sit it. It looks like it's pretty big, too much for your average japanese home. It could be more suited for industrial purposes though. again, too big for walking around town imo. I'm sure they can make it smaller, very cool stuff.