S. Korean engineers develop walking domestic helper robot

SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Yonhap) -- Engineers at a state-run laboratory have developed a
walking helper robot capable of mimicking human limb movements and carrying out
simple household chores, a feat that may stimulate advances in the robotics
industry, the laboratory said Sunday.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) said the "Mahru-Z," which
took two years to build, can operate autonomously in a home environment, use
appliances to prepare a sandwich or drink, hold a cup and deliver a package.
The 1.3-meter tall, 55-kilogram robot has arms and legs and numerous joints so it
can move its elbows, hands and three fingers.
"The multi-task robot has a three-dimensional object recognition system based on
a visual-based control technology, is fully bipedal, can turn on a microwave
oven, toaster, light switch and move things in a room," said You Bum-jae, the
head of KIST's cognitive robot center.
He claimed that Mahru-Z is the most advanced robot in terms of its ability to
mimic human movement and is superior to similar robots made in Japan.
The developer added that the machine can be plugged into a central network so it
can work with other robots to carry out tasks and be operated by remote control.
"Controlled by a person wearing a 'motion capture suit,' the newly developed
robot can in the future be tasked to work on the moon while its controller is
safely back on Earth," the engineer said.
The robot will exactly follow the arm, finger, and leg movements of a person clad
in the motion capture suit.
While it may take time for a commercialized version of the Mahru-Z to reach
consumers, a wheeled version similar to a robot being developed by Japan's Toyota
Motor Corp. may reach markets after 2012.
KIST has developed a prototype wheeled version of the Mahru-Z called the Mahru-M
that stands 1.2 meter tall and weighs 38 kilograms. This smaller robot can work
with the Mahru-Z.
In the future, the Seoul-based KIST is moving to conduct research and development
(R&D) on "cognitive humanoid robots" that can be programed to think and learn on
their own, the engineer said.
Other developments being explored call for robots to be able to open doors and
quickly move about a home or office without colliding into furniture and
appliances.
KIST said it used 4.0 billion won (US$3.5 million) per year on the Mahru-Z and
other related R&D efforts.
The institute started receiving funding from the government for the humanoid
robot project in 2006.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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