Kotaro

A Multiple-DOF Variable-Flexible-Spine Musculoskeletal Humanoid

--- towards a soft & lithe humanoid as a human ---

Photos of June, 2005
Kotaro standing Kotaro at EXPO stage

[ About Kotaro ]

  • Name: Kotaro
  • Size: 500mm(width) x 1330mm(height) x 350mm(depth)
  • Weight: 20kg
  • Energy (electricity): [power]24V [logic]5V
  • Duration: Power source is outside the robot.
  • Kinematic structure: 91 DOF(joints)
  • Number of actuators: 120
  • Sensors: muscle-length, muscle-tension, motor current, temperature, joint-angle (not all), distributed tactile sensor, fleshy soft tactile sensor, two eyes, two ears, 1 speaker (not a sensor though)

Features and Advantages

The humanoid 'Kotaro' was developed for the Prototype Robot Exhibition at EXPO2005 held in Aichi, Japan. The purpose of the project was to show (even though at very early stage) long-term future robot technologies originated from Japan. Kotaro project matched the purpose very well, we believe. Below listed are the features and advantages of Kotaro.

Future Image of Practical Use

The aim is to realize safety, applicability to numerous diverse tasks, flexibility of the body, and litheness of the motions of robots. These are necessary fundamental functions for living in humans' daily lives. The flexibility and human-like body structure would realize safety and human-like natural supple motions. Redundant multiple degrees of freedom would help applicable to far more diverse tasks than conventional humanoid robots', and that types of robots could be used for really practical applications in a complex environment such as home where the task variation is unlimited.

In future, actuators will be replaced by artificial muscles, which are expected to be practical, and then accumulated knowledge by the studies of our direction towards the multiple-DOF musculoskeletal robots.

Demonstrations and Exhibitions

Members of Kotaro Project

Ikuo Mizuuchi, Tomoaki Yoshikai, Yoshinao Sodeyama, Yuto Nakanishi, Akihiko Miyadera, Taichi Yamamoto, Tuomas Niemelä, Junichi Urata, Yuta Namiki, Tamaki Nishino, Marika Hayashi, Masayuki Inaba
JSK laboratory (The University of Tokyo)

Photos of May, 2005

References


(Journals, International Conferences)
  1. A Musculoskeletal Flexible-Spine Humanoid `Kotaro' Aiming at Year 2020, in Proceedings of 36th International Symposium on Robotics (ISR2005), TH1C4, Dec., 2005. (I.Mizuuchi, T.Yoshikai, Y.Sodeyama, Y.Nakanishi, A.Miyadera, T.Yamamoto, T.Niemelä, M.Hayashi, J.Urata, Y.Namiki, T.Nishino, and M.Inaba)
  1. Development of Muscle-Driven Flexible-Spine Humanoids, in Proceedings of 2005 5th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids2005), pp.339--344, Dec., 2005. (I.Mizuuchi, T.Yoshikai, Y.Nakanishi, Y.Sodeyama, T.Yamamoto, A.Miyadera, T.Niemelä, M.Hayashi, J.Urata, and M.Inaba)
  2. Pedaling by a Redundant Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid Robot, in Proceedings of 2005 5th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids2005), pp.68--73, Dec., 2005. (Y.Nakanishi, I.Mizuuchi, T.Yoshikai, T.Inamura, and M.Inaba)
  1. Pedaling Motion of a Cycle by Musculo-skeletal Humanoid with Adapting Ability Based on an Evaluation of the Muscle Loads, in Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Mar., 2006. (T.Yoshikai, Y.Nakanish, I.Mizuuchi, and M.Inaba)
  2. Tendon Arrangement Based on Joint Torque Requirements for a Reinforceable Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid, in Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Mar., 2006. (Y.Nakanishi, I.Mizuuchi, T.Yoshikai, T.Inamura, and M.Inaba)
  1. Development of Musculoskeletal Humanoid Kotaro, in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2006. (I.Mizuuchi, T.Yoshikai, Y.Sodeyama, Y.Nakanish, A.Miyadera, T.Yamamoto, T.Niemelä, M.Hayashi, J.Urata, Y.Namiki, T.Nishino, M.Inaba)
  2. Humanoid's Imitation Behavior with Reflexes by Parallel Evaluating Monitors, in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2006. (T.Yoshikai, I.Mizuuchi, M.Inaba)
  3. A Three-Dimensional Angle Sensor for a Spherical Joint Using a Micro Camera, in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2006. (J.Urata, Y.Nakanishi, A.Miyadera, I.Mizuuchi, T.Yoshikai, M.Inaba)
  1. Realization of Standing of the Musculoskeletal Humanoid Kotaro by Reinforcing Muscles, in Proceedings of the 2006 6th IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids 2006), pp.176-181, 2006. (I.Mizuuchi, Y.Nakanishi, Y.Namiki, T.Yoshikai, Y.Sodeyama, T.Nishino, J.Urata, M.Inaba)
  1. The Designs and Motions of a Shoulder Structure with a Wide Range of Movement Using Bladebone-Collarbone Structures, in Proceedings of the 2007 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pp.3629-3634, 2007. (Y.Sodeyama, T.Yoshikai, T.Nishino, I.Mizuuchi, M.Inaba)
  1. An Autonomous Reactive System for Humanoids Equipped with Very Many Actuators and Sensors, in Proceedings of the 2007 IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids 2007), 2007. (I.Mizuuchi, T.Nishino, Y.Sodeyama, Y.Nakanishi, Y.Namiki, T.Yoshikai, M.Inaba)

(Review, Magazine, etc)
  1. Humanoid Robot Inspired from Human's Musculoskeletal Structure, Journal of Japan Society for Design Engineering, Vol.40, No.9, pp.459--467, Sep., 2005. (Mizuuchi)

(Domestic Conferences (mainly in Japanese))
  1. The Brief Overview of the Multiple-DOF Variable-Flexible-Spine Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid ``Kotaro'' --- A Preliminary Report from EXPO2005 ---, in Proceedings of 2005 JSME Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics, ALL-N-021, Jun., 2005. (Mizuuchi, Yoshikai, Sodeyama, Nakanishi, Miyadera, Yamamoto, Niemelä, Adachi, Hayashi, Inaba)
  1. Development of Kotaro, a Multiple DOF Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid with Adjustable Flexible Spine, RSJ2005(*1), 2F11, Sep., 2005. (Mizuuchi, Yoshikai, Sodeyama, Nakanishi, Miyadera, Yamamoto, Niemelä, Urata, Namiki, Nishino, Inaba)
  2. The Design of Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid ``Kotaro'', RSJ2005(*1), 2F12, Sep., 2005. (Sodeyama, Nakanishi, Yoshikai, Mizuuchi, Inaba)
  3. Joint structure with restorative force due to elastic and viscostic elements, RSJ2005(*1), 3E34, Sep., 2005. (Namiki, Yamamoto, Yoshikai, Mizuuchi, Inamura, Inaba)
  4. A Driving System for Clavicles and Scapulas of a Musculo-skeletal Humanoid, RSJ2005(*1), 3E33, Sep., 2005. (Sodeyama, Yoshikai, Mizuuchi, Inaba)
  5. Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid Kotaro Leg which Can Change Muscle Configuration, RSJ2005(*1), 2F13, Sep., 2005. (Nakanishi, Mizuuchi, Sodeyama, Yoshikai, Inaba)
  6. A Sensor Integrated Muscle Unit for Musculo-Skeletal Humanoids, RSJ2005(*1), 2F14, Sep., 2005. (Nakanishi, Mizuuchi, Inamura, Inaba)
  7. Development of musculo-skeletal head & its operation system by a joystick, RSJ2005(*1), 1F24, Sep., 2005. (Yoshikai, Nishino, Niemelä, Sodeyama, Mizuuchi, Inaba)
  8. Posture sensor for a spherical joint using cellular phone micro camera, RSJ2005(*1), 3E31, Sep., 2005. (Urata, Nakanishi, Miyadera, Mizuuchi, Yoshikai, Inaba)
  9. Development of a soft, fleshy tactile sensor using Conductive Foam, RSJ2005(*1), 1C15, Sep., 2005. (Yamamoto, Hayashi, Mizuuchi, Inamura, Inaba)
  10. Development of Easily Attachable Tactile Component for Free Form Covered Robot, RSJ2005(*1), 1C16, Sep., 2005. (Hayashi, Yamamoto, Okada, Mizuuchi, Inamura, Inaba)
  11. The Control and Communication System for the Super Large-DOF Humanoid, RSJ2005(*1), 1E35, Sep., 2005. (Miyadera, Mizuuchi, Inaba)
  12. A configuration system of muscle arrangement for musculo-skeletal robots, RSJ2005(*1), 3E32, Sep., 2005. (Nishino, Yoshikai, Mizuuchi, Inamura, Inaba)
  1. Design and Implementation of a Musculoskeletal Humanoid Learned from Human Body Structure, in Proceedings of 26th Conference on Biomechanisms (SOBIM2005), pp.297--300, Oct., 2005. (Mizuuchi, Sodeyama, Nakanishi, Yoshikai, Yamamoto, Niemelä, Miyadera, Urata, Namiki, Nishino, Inaba)
      • *1 RSJ2005 : The 23rd Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan
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