What does ‘body sharing’ with a humanoid robot look like?
The Japanese startup H2L just introduced its new Capsule Interface that simulates being inside a robot’s body, even from far away. The high-tech control system, which resembles a mall massage chair, turns a user’s body into a remote interface for a humanoid robot.
Tokyo-based H2L just shared a brief demo showing a woman using the smart chair to control a H1 humanoid robot from the Chinese company Unitree Robotics. The video shows the robot lifting a box, cleaning, and interacting with another person.
The system transmits real-time video and audio from the robot’s perspective back to the human operator. Ongoing R&D aims to add sensory feedback for users.
H2L uses muscle displacement sensors, which detect subtle shifts in muscle movements to capture the user’s physical intent and force in real time. Most teleoperation systems rely on motion sensors, but H2L says that’s insufficient for creating emotional and physical realism.
Dr. Emi Tamaki, a pioneer in muscle-sensing interface technology, founded H2L in 2012 after earning her Ph.D in Interdisciplinary Informatics from the University of Tokyo in 2011. Her breakthrough invention, PossessedHand, which controls human fingers through electrical stimulation, was named one of TIME Magazine’s 50 Best Inventions.
“Human-robot interaction should be intuitive,” Tamaki said during a 2012 TED Talk in Tokyo. “You shouldn’t need expert knowledge. It should work with your body, naturally.”
H2L, which stands for Happy Hacking Life, says the Capsule Interface could be used for teleworking, visiting places without traveling, or for personal or romantic experiences because it shares body sensations.