At UC San Diego, an advanced AI robot named Ria helps students prepare for real-world medical patient care.
The humanoid robot, developed by India-based Machani Robotics, mimics human gestures and body language to enhance interactions. It has 32 degrees of freedom for realistic movements and facial expressions.
According to ANI, Ria is an upgraded version of Sophia, the world-famous AI robot developed by Hanson Robotics, a Machani partner.
Students ask questions about symptoms and practice diagnosing health issues. The practice helps students improve explaining things clearly.
Programmed with 16 languages, RIA also helps students who speak other languages improve their English. The robot identifies human emotions and responds accordingly. Machine learning improves its responses based on past interactions over time.
The robot’s looks and functionality can be tailored for specific use cases.
RIA uses an Intel RealSense depth detection camera that helps it see in 3D, recognize objects, and interact more realistically with its surroundings. Machani Robotics says RIA handles sensitive data securely.
Machani plans to create a “humanoid app store” where users can download apps to add new skills and features to their robots, making them more useful for different tasks.
The company describes itself as the brainchild of Machani Group, a 90-year-old family business.
Fourier Teases GR-2
Fourier just teased its new AI robot, the GR-2, with a short CGI clip.
The Chinese robotics company provided no further info. Fourier introduced its GR-1 humanoid robot in 2023. The 5’5″ robot is already in use at several universities for research and teaching, helping students learn about robotics and AI.
A recent update by Fourier showed what appeared to be a brain-computer interface for robot control.
ISRO Finalizes Humanoid Skull
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently finalized the skull for Vyomitra, a humanoid robot that will soon space travel.
According to India Express, the 800-gram skull is built from a super strong and lightweight aluminum alloy. The robot will join the first uncrewed 3-day test flight of the Gaganyaan mission, aiming to send Indian astronauts into space.
The skull is crucial, as it houses the sensors Vyomitra uses to monitor the spacecraft and interact with life support systems. The skull is lightweight for space missions where every gram matters.
Vyomitra is a half humanoid with only an upper body. It can talk, issue alerts, and monitor the spacecraft to ensure safety. The mission is India’s first attempt to send people into space using a spacecraft built entirely in India by ISRO.
During the 3-day mission, the Vyomitra will be evaluated to see how well it can perform tasks, monitor the spacecraft, and interact with systems. The test flight is scheduled for December 2024.
XPENG Teases PX5 AI Robot
XPENG just teased its new humanoid robot called the PX5, the Chinese EV maker’s answer to the Tesla Optimus.
XPENG CEO He Xiaopeng revealed an image of the robot during an event. The image was posted on X by attendee Claudio Afonso, a blogger who focuses on the EV market.
🤖 XPeng’s humanoid robot was just teased now by the CEO He Xiaopeng here in Beijing. It will be launched at the brand’s Tech Day in October. @XPengMotors pic.twitter.com/pWuY2r4twb
— Afonso (@AfonsoEV_) August 27, 2024
He said the robot will be showcased during XPENG’s tech day in October. XPENG announced the PX5 in 2023 and previously shared footage of its prototype.
In 2019, Tesla accused XPENG of using stolen self-driving technology from a former Tesla employee who joined XPENG. XPENG built the robot using its advanced technology that also powers their self-driving cars.
Aheadform
Aheadform, a Chinese startup, focuses on developing robot heads with highly realistic human faces and expressions.
Its founder, Hu Yuhang, told the South China Morning Post at the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing that these robots might eventually interact with people in ways that feel almost like talking to another human.
Earlier this year, Yuhang showcased the technology as part of his studies at Columbia University. He demonstrated a robot called Emo, designed to enhance nonverbal communication through realistic facial expressions.
It uses advanced AI to learn and mimic facial expressions, helping it better interact with humans. The robot’s face makes eye contact and changes expressions to match human emotions in real-time.
Yuhang says it makes robot interactions feel more genuine.
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