What will be the impact of autonomous robots in the future? Well, Sony appears to have found the solution. The Sony Group Corporation recently reported four advancements that will pull the strings of autonomous mobility technologies. The company, along with Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (SIE), had five research papers accepted at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2024. These papers introduce groundbreaking advancements in robotic mobility, which have the potential to significantly transform how robots operate in various environments.
Sony's commitment to innovation in robotics aligns with its broader mission “to fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology." This effort highlights Sony’s drive to integrate AI, sensors, and digital avatars into use cases applied in the real world. The latest study is a step forward toward improving the functionality, productivity, and efficiency of autonomous robots.
Transformable Omni-Ball (PTOB), a micromobility wheel that can transform its shape to overcome mobility hurdles. The PTOB helps to maintain the proper functioning of the vehicle with minimal chances of slipping or sliding on rough terrain.
Sony’s innovation is a six-wheeled robot that switches its movement according to the surfaces it is on. The primary mobility system of the robot is on wheels while the secondary mode of transportation is on legs which makes it easier to transform from one mode to the other.
This technology is ready to enhance not only robotics but also other mobility applications like wheelchairs and carts. The Passive Transformable Omni-Ball technology has applied, consequently, the finalist nomination of IROS 2024 in the Best Paper Award on Robot Mechanisms and Design signifying the Sony robot mobility design.
Sony also tackled one of the major problems of mobile robotics, navigation in an uncertain terrain. Traditional model-based walking techniques fail to cope with various types of uncertainty and most of the control gains have to be manually tuned. However, Sony’s new approach integrates Zero-Order Stochastic Nonlinear Model Predictive Control with a guard saltation matrix.
This method enables the robots to be able to predict the uncertainties and then plan to avoid them. Therefore, robots can safely plan both, the leg movements and the corresponding contact point even if the sensor is imprecise. This advancement aims to prevent the occurrence of more inaccurate and risky movements by robots when used in actual environments, advancing the cause of self-navigating robot technology.
Flexibility in a changing environment is paramount to any form of robotic technology. Sony’s answer to this is the six-wheeled-telescopic-legged robot known as Tachyon 3, which features a real-time motion control system. Tachyon 3 utilizes the SST approach to identify these potential collisions and Sony incorporated this with the CBF.
This combination allows the robot to determine and coordinate the leg movement in one-thousandth of a second to gain smooth and safe movement. This capability is particularly useful in the case of environments with many moving objects because it enables robots to move freely while maintaining safety. The advantage of having an efficient and fast system places Tachyon 3 in a vantage point in the mobile robotics field.
Most common robotic systems require several sensors and their correct orientation is fundamental to the proper operation of the system. Historically, this calibration needed more instruments such as the calibration boards more so after the swapping of hardware. Sony’s innovation in this field does not require such specialized parts. However, Sony had to come up with a calibration approach based on the planes of the floors and object segmentation.
Sony announces a new actuator for legged robots in another major development. Sony launched a new actuator for legged robots. This actuator made of a torsion coil spring enables the robot to make dynamic movements such as running and jumping. The shock is transmitted through the spring and it allows the robot to perform consecutive jump actions with little energy dissipation.
This series elastic actuator is compact making it useful in robots intended for dynamic movements. It could potentially transform the creation of legged robots and enhance their speed and energy efficiency.
Significant progress in the field of robotic mobility can be attributed to Sony’s continuous strive for innovation in autonomous technology. From transformable wheels to actual time motion control Sony’s research will change how robots operate.
The novelty of each of these approaches is capable of enhancing not only robotics but also different kinds of applications, starting with the robotic platforms for mobility-impaired individuals and ending with industrial robots.
Thus, the future of autonomous robotics seems rather promising as Sony is ceaselessly trying to synchronize various technical fields. It is shown that these technologies can build new opportunities and are a part of enhancing a sane, efficient, and emotionally positive world.