(photo courtesy of Waseda University)

NREC continues their groundbreaking humanoid robotics research with a recent collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD (MHI). This collaborative project integrates MHI/Waseda’s humanoid-like legged robot technology with NREC’s CHIMP based technology. In this latest project, NREC will assist in developing a remote autonomous robot to be used in and around disaster environments. The four-limbed robot was developed through collaboration between Humanoid Robotics Institute, Waseda University and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. funded by ImPACT Tough Robotics Challenge (TRC) Program.

Researchers at NREC will develop pose, perception, and planning software for Mitsubishi’s existing legged robot. NREC will use the capabilities of Tartan Rescue’s CHIMP, the 3rd place winner in the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, to complete the pose and perception part of the project, while the planning software will leverage the technology developed under the Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliance (R-CTA) program. 

The team will integrate a full-body planner with real perception coming from the sensor head of Carnegie Robotics, LLC, integrating planning software developed under the R-CTA program by the Search-based Planning Lab. Our team will also leverage the unique pose and perception capabilities that were developed for CHIMP. All of these component technologies will be adapted to the kinematics, gaits, actuators and sensors of MHI/Waseda's legged robot. 

This project is only the latest example of NREC using known and tested research equipment and methodologies to create new and improved robotic systems for customers. Along with MHI, NREC continues to build upon decades of research excellence and proven intelligent capabilities to create robots to better the world.