HUBO FX-1 Robotic Chair With Legs

HUBO FX-1 is a robot chair - with legs - for use by humans in need of a lift. The basic idea is that humans (or up to 100 kg of stuff) should be able to walk naturally.

Each ankle has a 3-axis force/torque sensor which measures a normal force and 2 moments. Each foot has an inclination sensor which measures angle of the slope. Also, the rate gyro and the inclination sensor of the body can stabilize itself.

In response to the built-in joystick, HUBO FX-1 can walk forward, backward, side-to-side... it can even turn around. On a dime.
HUBO FX-1 is two meters in height, and weighs 150 kg. It appears to be powered from outside, however.


SOURCE:
TechNovelgy.com

This is an interesting piece of robotics technology, and one which I can
see becoming useful in more than one field.

I have to say though, I sort of get the nagging fear in the back of my
mind that in the future people will start riding walking chairs everywhere,
and become incredibly lazy and get less exercise than they do as it is.


Comments, Opinions?

i say put a a cockpit over it and a proper HUD .. then strap on some guns and missile launchers and you got yourself a mini-mech

This would be sweet if it was a little beefier and moved a little faster...

Think about hiking in the woods with one of these? Or hunting...

I wonder how loud it is? I also noticed that it has a cable connected to it...so unless a wireless version comes out...

Originally posted by MystikMushroom
This would be sweet if it was a little beefier and moved a little faster...

Think about hiking in the woods with one of these? Or hunting...

I wonder how loud it is? I also noticed that it has a cable connected to it...so unless a wireless version comes out...

Why would you use it to hike or hunt?
Is'nt the point of hiking to, well, hike?
And it would be far to noisy to hunt.

Interesting.

I have friends who are in wheelchairs, and one of the huge problems is that things in the normal world (like the height of a hotel desk) aren't designed for wheelchairs. One of the issues we were discussing (I'm not in a wheelchair but am doing preliminary research on handicaps for a research project) was that people tend to overlook those in chairs.

I wonder if they'd ignore those who are mechanized like that. Hmm.

Still... VERY interesting device.

Here is a stair climbing robot made by the guy who debuted a product whose name is now synonymous with flop whose name doesn't bare mentioning.

This is interesting as well.

[edit on 15-3-2007 by sardion2000]

Sardion.

You don't mean Kamen's folly do ya?
I still think it may eventually catch on.

About the Chairbot thingie.

Like Byrd mentioned, people in wheelchairs have the standard heighted world to deal with. One of the biggest psychological barriers is the whole "eye contact" thing. There is a totally different dynamic when people communicate eye to eye. Versus looking down (and up, if you are the one in the chair)

You don't mean Kamen's folly do ya?
I still think it may eventually catch on.

Yup. The way he marketed it was piss poor. The technology inside was what impressed engineers the most and they are a hit in the robotics community. If the price comes down, then it could really start to bring robotics into the home big time.

Here, we see the 2005 iFoot - a large exoskeleton designed for a single human. According to Toyota, this exoskeleton can climb stairs and is intended for the elderly and those with disabilities. It uses a birdlike leg joint so it can bend down (I think of a camel) for people to get in and out. It walks at about the same speed as the old Asimo, 1.35 km/h (0.83 miles/hr). Unfortunately for the US, it can only carry 60 kg (132 lbs) which keeps an entire generaton of super-sized kids out of the driver's seat.

Plyojump (scroll halfway through the page)
Toyota
just curious whether the HUBO FX-1 could be more advanced than the iFoot, at least as a research platform. does anyone know which one is more mature and more likely to be produced for the public?



[edit on 15-3-2007 by toreishi]