Unveiling the AMBIDEX Task Learning Project and Delivery Robot AROUND D at 2020 Global Forum on Mechanical Engineering
In this forum, under the theme “Robots, Machines for Humans,” we shared the research achievements of NAVER LABS for human-robot coexistence. The highlight of the presentation was the evolving AMBIDEX. Developed by NAVER LABS, with Korea University of Technology & Education (KOREATECH), the robot arm now features an added waist, extending the available workspace, as well as a sensor head that can perceive objects. It has also been equipped with a robot hand “BLT Gripper” that can change to various grasping methods.
Other than physical appearance, the biggest change is the ability to learn humans’ physical intelligence. Physical intelligence is a concept suggested by Professor Sangbae Kim, who heads the MIT Biomimetic Robotics Lab and also serves as a tech advisor for NAVER LABS. It refers to the motor/physical capabilities performed naturally by humans but difficult to verbalize/digitize. While spreading jam on bread or taking coins out of a pocket is an easy task that humans can unconsciously do, it is difficult to explain or program such processes and principles. To overcome this, we developed a haptic device exclusively for AMBIDEX.
AMBIDEX Demo Compilation - Task Teaching & Learning
AMBIDEX Demo Compilation - Task Teaching & Learning
This haptic device features 1:1 size ratio with actual humans, 7 degrees of freedom (per arm), just like a human arm, and bilateral teleoperation, which delivers force both ways between the human and the robot. We were able to obtain detailed force control data from a human demo with this device, and use it as a learning reference for the robot. Training the robot using various methods such as reinforcement learning, via the haptic device, is so efficient that the robot can successfully perform a task on its own, from a single demo.
AMBIDEX Task Learning Project interview
We also unveiled the 4th model in NAVER’s autonomous driving robot series, AROUND, first launched in 2017. AROUND D, specializing in delivery, can perform autonomous driving based on vision technology and reinforcement learning, even without expensive LiDAR sensors. Furthermore, it can interact intuitively with humans while moving or providing services, through Gaze. Because AROUND-0 was designed as a basic HW/SW platform that allows the addition of various service applications, it can be expanded to many more services. Brainless Robot Technology was applied to AROUND D, and it will be one of the robots used in NAVER’s second office building.
