Acroban is a lightweight compliant humanoid robot. It is capable of semi-passive dynamic movement, including semi-passive dynamic walking. Equipped with a multi-articulated vertebral column, its bio-inspired design relies heavily on the use of adequate morphology and materials for robustness and adaptivity to external perturbations. This allows not only for advanced motor skills, but also affords a new kind of physical human-robot interaction which is
made possible by the ability of the human to modify the state (joint positions) of the robot by a direct physical manipulation, thanks to
compliance. In this way, joints become the interface between the robot and the human: They make possible the exchange of analogical information. Interestingly, the motors, material, and electronics of Acroban are all low-cost. This allows us to show that it is actually possible to build such robust compliant motor skills and generate original life-like movements with basic affordable components if they are adequately chosen, combined and controlled.
Furthermore, Acroban provokes spontaneous highly positive emotional reactions, especially in children. Yet, as opposed to many other
robots, its morphology is neither roundish nor cute. He has no big eyes. He is just made of metal, and its appearance shows it
explicitly. At first glance, its visual appearance creates low expectation of intelligence and life-likeness. But when it begins to move and one can touch it, its natural dynamics, much more life-like than most other robots, triggers a high contrast and positive surprise. Life unexpectedly appears out of a neutral metallic object, much as Pixar's Luxo Jr. This is the Luxo Jr. effect.
A live demonstration of Acroban will appear at Siggraph 2010 Emerging Technologies:
Ly, O., Oudeyer, P-Y. (2010) Acroban the Humanoid: Playful and Compliant Physical Child-Robot Interaction, in ACM SIGGRAPH'2010 Emerging Technologies.
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