Toyota Unveils Virtual Reality-Controlled Robot

Toyota Motor Corp. says its third-generation T-HR3 humanoid robot can better replicate human movements via remote body controls, allowing it to perform tasks more efficiently in a variety of environments.

The operator sits in a master control unit and is equipped with wearable controls that map hand, arm and foot movements to the robot. A head-mounted display allows the operator to see from the robot's perspective. A series of motors, reduction gears, torque sensors and control systems are connected to each joint to measure and coordinate the operator's movements to T-HR3's 29 body parts.

Toyota's Partner Robot Division developed the system in conjunction with Tamagawa Seiki Co. and Nidec Copal Electronics Corp. The torque servo module measures the force exerted by and on T-HR3 as it interacts with its environment, then conveys that information to the operator using force feedback.

The system’s flexible joint controller allows the operator to control the contact force the robot makes with people or objects in its surrounding environment. The master foot allows the operator to walk in place in the chair to move the robot forward or laterally. Another system helps maintain the robot's balance if it collides with something.

Toyota says the T-HR3 is an evolution from its previous humanoid robots, which were created to test the precise positioning of joints and pre-programmed movements. The new system is designed to better manage the interactions between robots and their surroundings to create a platform to assist humans in homes, medical facilities, construction sites and disaster-stricken areas.