Machines Like Us

When we were kids, robots meant C-3PO from Star Wars. For the more seasoned among us, maybe Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet. Ever since Fritz Lang's landmark film Metropolis introduced us to the first big-screen robot Maria, the notion of the robot with human-like form and articulation has carried through pop culture. Recently, with the aid of some new mathematical techniques and some powerful new computing tools, scientists and engineers are starting to realize a part of this dream.

One of the most remarkable demonstrations of how far engineering has come is the work of the Takanishi Laboratory of Waseda University in Tokyo.1 Dr. Atsuo Takanishi is a leading researcher in the area of humanoid robotics. Unlike the industrial robots with which most engineers are typically familiar, humanoid robotics research aims to emulate human motion and even behavior -- anthropomorphic robot.

Professor Takanishi's achievements include the WABIAN series of robots (short for Waseda bipedal humanoid) noted for its ability to walk in a very human-like way. The Takanishi Lab's Web site offers a range of photos and videos of WABIAN and its kin. In order to achieve the right gait patterns, natural rhythms and maintain stability on various walking surfaces, the lab's scientists have developed sophisticated techniques to model and simulate the biomechanics prior to commitment in a physical robot.

Read full story in Scientific Computing