Sanctuary AI reposted this
We’re known for our ‘hands-first’ approach. I actually think this is the **only** way to create a general purpose robot that can actually do valuable work in the world. Here’s why. Robots have been able to walk on two legs since Honda’s ASIMO in the 80s, but this hasn’t unlocked useful work. This is because legs are just a tool to get our hands to where the work needs to be done. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fine manipulation of the hands is required for 98.8% of all work. Put simply: hands are what allow us to change the world. The lack of human-like hands and the control systems that make them move is the main reason why there’s a massive gap between what people can do and what robots can do today. As well as dexterity, robots also need to be able to feel and assess items through touch. You don’t want a robot which holds your grandma’s hand with the same force it grabs a metal rod. If you aren’t prioritizing creating hands that are as close to a person as possible, you will end up creating a special purpose tool. Don’t get me wrong – this is great for a narrowly defined specific set of work tasks like tote and box moving in a warehouse, but it can’t help with the worsening labor shortages that manufacturers are facing.
"... it can’t help with the worsening labor shortages that manufacturers are facing." Robots hands are cool, sure. However, the labor shortage is not a tech problem, and it is not ethical for the robotics industry to claim that people don't want to work anymore. People will not do jobs that do not provide livable wages in the United States. It is no longer possible to afford a mortgage and feed a small family by packing boxes in a warehouse.
I agree with a "hands-first" approach but understanding the physical interaction between the robot's hand and objects is even more important.
Worth noting the ASIMO robot you mentioned and its hands circa 2010: https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=BTupPEz2qVRQFoUj&t=56
I agree. Robotics need to be designed to interact in the world we have created. We have already designed the world based on our hands. It is the same reason why walking robots are so important, we have build the world around working.
That's a compelling argument! Hands-on experience is definitely crucial for versatile robots. It's fascinating how focusing on dexterity and tactile feedback can bridge the gap between human and robotic capabilities. Looking forward to seeing your progress!
Has there been a robot with various hand attachments that are specialized for certain tasks? That'd be cool.
XO2Tech™ Robotics + Health + Retail Ai-Convergence™
2moThanks Geordie, we have developed a robotic hand touch sensing, grasping and object identification application that uses radio frequency tags attached to items or fixed locations. The touch sensing provides superior robotic coordination with objects, provides tactile and object identification feedback for the robot and vision system, allows robots to complement or function without the use of vision in a privacy or lidar mode, which can also serve as a fail-safe mode, and helps to build artificial general intelligence. The touch sensing capabilities allow a robot to more efficiently identify, locate, interact with and manipulate physical objects in any setting and to generate meaningful Ai data.