the RobotCub project Giulio Sandini (1,2), Giorgio Metta (1,2), David Vernon (1) (1) University of Genoa (2) Italian Institute of Technology

Main Figures RobotCub is a 5 years project funded by the European Commission in the field of cognitive systems (cordis.europa.eu/cognition)cordis.europa.eu/cognition Presently the consortium is composed of 16 Partners, 11 from Europe, 3 from Japan and 2 from the USA. The consortium is coordinated by University of Genoa Total Funding is 8.5 M and total effort is 1,651 person-months (138 person-years) The project started in September 2004

RobotCub Robot-Cub scientific goal is to study the development of cognitive manipulation skills (manipulation, imitation, gesture communication) Robot-Cub engineering goal is to build a humanoid platform to be used by the scientific community as a common platform the iCub

Global scientific community is best served by creating an open platform and exploiting synergies Robot-Cub engineering goal is to build a humanoid platform whose design is open to the scientific community and can be duplicated and improved by the community of its users. Research Strategy An Open System!!

The iCub The iCub is the humanoid baby-robot being designed within the RobotCub project –The iCub will be a full humanoid robot sized as a two and half year-old child. –The total height is estimated to be around 94cm. –It will have 53 degrees of freedom, including articulated hands to be used for manipulation and gesturing. –The robot will be able to crawl and sit and autonomously transition from crawling to sitting and vice-versa. –The robot is GPL/FDL: software, hardware, drawings, documentation, etc.

Size, shape, dofs Approx 934mm 243mm 369mm 439mm Avg. 14kg lb From human data From our experience with other platforms Not quite! 23kg

iCub CAD

Hand and finger Angle sensors Tension sensor Tactile Internal wires

Sensors… Cameras Skin/tactile Gyros/inertial Microphones 640x480 color Remote head Very small but otherwise standard Small (0.67mm) Designing force/torque sensor Fingertip 3-axis sensor Joint torque measurement Conductive paint… QTC: rubber-like material Tension sensors? Organic FETs? Standard, condenser electret

More sensors… Tension Sensors Fingertips

Head Being assembled… Upper torso + head + shoulder & elbow Force/torque sensor Control cards Foot (note the size) Hips

Latest Pictures

Software Architecture Multiple YARP processes Running on multiple processors Gbit Ethernet Level 0 APIs: data acquisition & motor control DSP iCub Embedded Systems HUB DSP Sensors & Actuators Level 1 APIs: perception/action behaviors Cognitive Architecture Innate perception/action primitives loose federation of behaviors Based on phylogenic configuration own learning model Level 2 APIs: Prospective Action Behaviors Coordinated operation: Ontogenic Development pc104

Timeframe Sept 2007: –First Prototype completed, tested and debugged Sept 2007: –Launch of Competitive Calls March 2008: –8 more platforms built for the scientific community –Additional projects start

Seeking International Collaboration 1.Joining effort with on-going project (and contribute to new proposals) 2.Directly support projects on Cognition based on iCub platform