“Man-Made Marvel: A Robot with Driving Capabilities”

Is the key to autonomous cars that don’t run over pedestrians and crash into telephone poles a humanoid robot behind the wheel? The researchers, one of whom consults for Toyota, developed and trained a “musculoskeletal humanoid” called Musashi to drive a small electric car through a test track. With its mechanical hands, it can rotate the car’s key, pull the handbrake and switch on the turn signal. Musashi did use the accelerator in a separate experiment, the researchers say. Fortunately, the researchers say they’re up for the challenge, with plans to develop a next-gen robot and software.

Is the secret to safe autonomous cars a robot in the driver’s seat? A team of scientists from the University of Tokyo certainly believes so. In their recent technical paper, they delve into their theory and experiment with a humanoid robot named Musashi, who has been specially trained to operate an electric car on a designated track.

Musashi is equipped with two cameras, acting as its eyes, and side mirrors that provide a complete view of the road. Using its mechanical hands, Musashi can perform tasks like turning on the car and signaling for a turn. And with its anti-slip “feet,” Musashi can control the car’s pedals.

“Our paper, presented in Robotics and Automation Magazine, is now available on arXiv and YouTube!”

In order to “teach” Musashi how to steer the car, the researchers fed it raw sensor data. With this information, they were able to successfully guide Musashi through an intersection while following traffic signals.

However, there are still some limitations to consider. Musashi cautiously applied the brake pedal while turning instead of using the accelerator, resulting in a slow and lengthy two-minute turn. The researchers explain that this was due to technical constraints and safety measures. In a separate experiment, Musashi did use the accelerator, but had difficulty maintaining a consistent speed on different inclines.

But the team is determined to continue their work and improve their robot and software in hopes of creating a next-generation autonomous vehicle. Perhaps in the future, Musashi will be the one behind the wheel of your Tokyo taxi.

Source: Twitter (@KKawaharazuka)