Japanese researchers at the University of Tokyo have created a dancing robot that copies moves from a human teacher at one go itself, without the need for time consuming rehearsals.
Shin'ichiro Nakaoka and his colleagues designed special software that allowed their robot HRP-2 to carry out complex leg movements without losing stability.
The robot copied dance instructor Hisako Yamada performing a Japanese folk routine called Aizu-Bandaisan through 'video motion capture technology', and then accurately reproduced the performance just minutes later.
Nakaoka said the robot looked natural on the floor.
"The result that the robot stably imitated human dance motions including dynamic-style step while keeping the original motion rhythm is a novel achievement for biped humanoid robots," said Nakaoka.
The researchers have proposed that robots programmed with their software could be used to preserve knowledge of traditional Japanese folk dances as those with the skills to perform them gradually die off.
A paper describing how the scientists made their robot look like a natural on the dance floor appears in the International Journal of Robotics Research, reports the Telegraph.
HRP-3 Promet Mk-II (C), HRP-2 Promet (L) and HRP-3 Prototype (R) humanoid robots are diplayed during the Promet Mk-II press preview at Kawada industry's laboratory in Haga town near Utsunomiya city north of Tokyo. The 160-cm-tall and 68-kg-weight humanoid robot is the upgrade model from HRP-2 Promet humanoid robot jointly developed by Kawada Industry, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and Kawasaki heavy industry.
Photograph: Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty Images
Source: ANI
