Robotic Blogs

U0300657 Yeo Choon Kwang

Sony Corporation has developed a small biped-walking robot, QRIO(SDR-4XII), approximately half the size of a human being. Despite its small size, it packs amazing capability and makes use of cutting-edge technology.

For motion control, QRIO makes use of a newly-developed “Real-time Integrated Adaptive Control System” and real-time gait pattern generation control. These technologies enable a stable smooth gait for autonomous walking, as well as walking on irregular or/and tilted surfaces in real time. Moreover, the robot is able to maintain its posture when subjected to external pressure.

In order for QRIO to execute the necessary motions, there is a need to interact with the environment. To achieve this, it makes use of “Real-world Space Perception Technology”. The hardware includes 2 CCD cameras and 7 microphones embedded in its head. The cameras enable it to gauge the distance between itself and the object and perceive the figuration of the object. Using this information, it plans a path so as to avoid the object. When a sound is detected, the strategically positioned microphones allow it to compute the direction of the source of that sound.

On top of that, QRIO incorporates multi-modal human interaction technology. This includes (1) individual person detection, recognition learning technology, (2) continuous speech recognition and unknown vocabulary acquisition, (3) conversation, performance control technology based on its short-term and long-term memory and (4) speech synthesis and singing voice production.