The robot moves in an environment that it does not know and is unfamiliar with, it must orient yourself, understand what surrounds him, identify tools and use them. Some cannot look at them, but must recognize them by touch, understanding what they are and what they are for from the shape and the material they are made of: “This will be one of the most difficult tests, because you need great sensitivity”, he explained. Manuel Catalano, researcher of the Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation laboratory and Rehabilitation of the IIT of Genoa.
Catalano is the head of the AlterEgo team, one of the two Italian robots (the other is iCub) who will participate in early November in the United States at ANA Avatar XPrize, a competition for teleoperated humanoid robots which takes place in Los Angeles, California and is giving away a final prize of 10 million dollars. AlterEgo and iCub are the only two Italian machines called to participatein a group of 17 teams from the USA (5 teams), as well as from South Korea, Japan (2 teams each), Mexico, Singapore, UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands (each country with a team).
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How the challenge works
The word “teleoperati” makes it clear that robots will not move by themselves but will be guided remotely, but this does not make things easier: first of all, they will still have to being able to stand alone (which is far from easy), and then they will not be commanded by those who developed them but by the jurors of the Avatar XPrize. Obviously, the more well made the car is, the easier it will be to use it and therefore get better ratings during the competition.
The competing teams will face off 10 different tasks within a course of about 45 meters in length, divided into 3 main areas: “In some, the operator will not physically see the robot, but will have to guide it and move in space relying only on the VR viewer he will wear”, explained Catalano. To which we asked how the rehearsals will take place, broadly: “In the first stage, the robot will have to orient itself, walk and stand without support, find a lever, apply the necessary force to operate it and open a door; in second it will be necessary to use objects and tools, with the operator who, through the robot, will have to recognize their mass and dimensions, also sorting them by weight; in final phase you will have to use a drill to make holes and recognize some objects, different in shape, color and material, without being able to look at them but only using touch “.
What is the XPrize Avatar for?
As explained by the organizers, this competition aims to “contribute to the development of an avatar robotic system able to transport the sensory abilities, actions and presence of a human being to another place in real time “: he was born in March 2018, and Los Angeles is the final phase and the result of other preliminary competitions that they are carried out throughout the year.
The intention is that the winning team will be the one able to better integrate the various technologies used to create a robotic physical avatar system with which the operator can see, hear and interact with a remote environment, having the feeling of being really present to carry out various tasks. As mentioned, IIT participates with two different robots, which alone is understandably a source of great pride: “Participation in this international challenge highlights that our institute is capable of generating innovative and high-quality technological solutions”, he said. Giorgio Metta, its scientific directorrecalling that “these technologies will certainly help shape the future of work in various companies and industries” and that “avatar systems will be crucial for improving healthcare, disaster recovery and productivity.”
The differences between iCub and AlterEgo
IIT participates with two different robots, but how different are they? Catalano explained to us that “they are designed to tackle different problems and different terrains”, as you can understand even just looking at them. (photo below): iCub (now in version 3) is based on bipedal locomotion, while AlterEgo moves on wheels and has the underside that looks like a Segway. Another difference concerns the manipulation systems, because “iCub reproduces the human hand, while AlterEgo, despite having the same number of phalanges, is more simplified”.
Somehow, and in the words of Catalano, “iCub keeps to the futureis a kind of mobile laboratory, while AlterEgo is designed and made to be accessible in the short term and therefore more ready to operate in the world ”.
When will robots do it themselves?
So much “in the short term” that it is not difficult to imagine, in the near future, a competition in which the machines will compete alone, without the need for human intervention. Even if the fact that this intervention exists does not diminish its capabilities: “They are remote controlled, but they are not mannequins – Catalano reminded us – At the base of everything there is artificial intelligence mixed with human intelligence, there are capabilities that the machine has of its own, such as seeing objects and recognizing them, deciding what action to do, standing up, combined with the skills put in place by people “. It is a sort of “symbiosis between the two worlds, with AI and human intelligence working side by side: humans teach the robot, which learns while being guided and he can then do it himself “. The classic example is that of “a worker, a worker, a technician who has the competence to do something, does it through a robot, the robot learns to do it and then can act independently”.
Okay, but when will it really happen? “In the last 10 years, robots have definitely entered our lives, from drones to those who do cleaning – Catalano reminded us – And within the next 5-10 years (around 2030, ed) we will really have robots like AlterEgo that will help us in factories and hospitals “.
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The contribution of Elon Musk (and Optimus) to the future
And yet, much sooner we may have around Optimus, Elon Musk’s robot, which should be ready within 3-5 years. But what is the opinion of scientists on such a machine? “What the researchers do is investigate the new, explore it and divulge it in order to transfer it to the real world – Catalano replied – Musk’s is the first, real and concrete attempt to bring a humanoid robot to the market, and it is likely to make it, as it did with SpaceX despite the initial skepticism of many “.
In short, the opinion of those who work in IIT seemed positive: “It is a boost for the whole sector, and it also serves to understand if there is a market for these products and how big it is. Because if they don’t generate a business, these innovations hardly work and reach the real world ”.