HUMANOID ROBOTS

Humanoid robots are robots are robots that are physically designed and programmed to resemble and mimic human appearance and behavior. These types of robots are equipped with sophisticated and cutting edge or advanced hardware and software components that enable them to interact with humans and their environment seamlessly.

The hardware components of a humanoid robot are as follows; actuators, sensors, controllers and processors, power supply unit and the mechanical structure.

The actuators used in humanoid robots are employed to move their various joints and limbs. The main type of actuators used in humanoid robots include AC and DC electric motors, pneumatic actuators or motors, hydraulic actuators or motors, gear boxes, tendon driven actuators, artificial muscles etc.

The sensors used in humanoid robots are employed to perceive their environment and detect changes in them. The main types of sensors used in humanoid robots include camera, microphones, GPS, inertial measurement unit (IMU), position, velocity, torque, acceleration and current sensors respectively.

The controllers and processors used in humanoid robots are employed to control their movements and actions. The main types of controllers and processor used in humanoid robots include micro-controllers single board computer processors (CPU), graphic processor unit (GPU), neural processor (NPU) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGA).

The power supply units used in humanoid robots are employed to supply power to operate the humanoid robot components. The main types of power supply include batteries, solar panels, electric mains etc.

The mechanical structure used in humanoid robots are designed and constructed to house the various components and carry the weight of the humanoid robot both statically and dynamically. The main features of the humanoid robot are built like the human body. The physical structure includes a head, torso, arms and legs.

The software components of a humanoid robot are as follows; control system software, artificial intelligence software, computer vision software, motion planning and human robot interaction software.

The control system software used in humanoid robots employs control algorithms to control their movements and actions. The main types of control software include sensor based control software, balance, machine learning based control software, motion planning control software, balance and stability control software etc.

The artificial intelligence software control system used in humanoid robots employs artificial intelligence algorithms to perceive their environment, make decisions and interacts with humans. The main type of a artificial intelligence software includes machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing (NLP).

The computer vision software system used in humanoid robots employs computer vision algorithms to detect and recognize objects, people and gestures.

The motion planning software system used in a humanoid robot employs motion planning algorithms to plan and execute movements.

The human robot interaction (HRIs) software system used in humanoid robots employs human robot interaction algorithms to interact with humans in a natural and intuitive way.

The advantages of humanoid robots are as follows; humanoid robots can interact with humans in a more natural and intuitive way making them suitable for various applications such as customer service, Medicare companion etc. humanoid robots can perform a wide range of human tasks from the most simple to complex tasks without being tired or fatigued. Humanoid robots can perform dangerous and boring tasks like laying or removing land mines etc. without recourse to human supervision or intervention. Humanoid robots can provide enhance social, entertainment and educational interaction in homes, cinema and schools as an object of service, fun and learning.

The disadvantages of humanoid robots are as follows; humanoid robots are complex systems that require advanced sensors, actuators and artificial intelligence systems, making them challenging to design and develop. Humanoid robots can be expensive to develop and purchase making them less accessible to some users. Humanoid robots may not be able to perform certain tasks that require specialized skills or abilities. Humanoid robots raise ethical concern such as the potential for job displacements, invasion of privacy and emotional attachment.

Humanoid robots find widespread application in the service, industrial, research and social industries where they are used as effective tools to replace humans from the drudgery of repetitive work and hazardous work environment such as patient care, rehabilitation and therapy, teaching, factory worker and so on. Some humanoid robots are used for entertainment and even as stars in the film and television industry.

The future of humanoid robots will based on the trends and development in the following industries; advances in Artificial intelligence systems. Improved design, production and materials will no doubt result in a more vibrant humanoid robotic industry that will be economical, cost effective means of deploying labor in all industry thus creating a future where the job of humans will be restricted to the design, control and supervision of humanoid robots.

 

SOURCES:

• Humanoid service robots by Moritz Merkle.
• Visual perception for humanoid robots by David Israel Gonzalez Aguirre.
• Humanoid robots: modeling and control by Dragomir N. Nenchev, Atsushi Konno amd Teppei Tsujita.
• Robotics: modeling, planning and control by Bruno Siciliano and Oussama Khatrib.
• Humanoid Robotics: A comprehensive guide by Prahlad Vadakkepat and Goswami Dip.