iRonCub: A Humanoid Robot Designed to Fly Like Iron Man

One of robotics Projects that I have been most excited for many years IroncubFrom Daniela Pucci Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence Laboratory at the Italian Technological Institute (IIT) In Genoa, ItalyField Since 2017Pucci develops a reactive passing system that will provide icub The robot (originally developed in 2004, which is an approximate form and the size of a 5-year-old child) to fly as an iron person.

In the summer, after almost 10 years of development, Ironcub3 reached departure and stable flight for the first timeWith four Jet engines Raising it 50 centimeters from the ground for a few seconds. Long-term vision-ironcub (or robot like he) to work as Response of disaster Platform, tells us Pucci. In an emergency, such as flood or fire, Ironcub could quickly get to the place, not worrying about obstacles, and then when landing, he would begin to go for Energy efficiency Using your hands and arms to move the garbage and open the doors. “We believe in promoting something unique in the future,” says Pucci. “We must explore new things, and this is a wild territory at the scientific level.”

Obviously, this concept for Ironcub and practical experiments attached to it are really cool. But coolness in itself is usually not a sufficient reason for creating a robot, especially the robot, which is (presumably quite expensive) a long-term project that includes a bunch of robotics students, so let's go into more detailed information about why the flying robot rail is actually something that the world needs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1bnhot4d5q In an emergency, such as a flood or fire, Ironcub can quickly get to the place, without worrying about obstacles, and then when landing, begin to go for energy efficiency, using your hands and hands to move garbage and open doors. IIT

Obtaining a humanoid robot for this kind of thing is a rather difficult task. Together, the reactive turbines installed on the Ironcub back and hands can generate more than 1000 n thrust, but since the time is required, it takes time, control should come from the robot itself, since it drives its stands to maintain stability.

“What is not visible from the video,” Pucci tells us, “this is that exhaust gases from turbines at 800 ° C and almost supersonic speed. We must understand how to generate trajectories in order to avoid the fact that the cones of gases of emissions influenced the robot. ”

Even if the exhaust did not ultimately melt the robot, there are still aerodynamic forces that until this moment really did not consider Humanoid robots in general – in June a group Pucci Published an article in Natural engineering communicationoffering “a comprehensive approach to modeling and control of aerodynamic forces [for humanoid robots] The use of classic and educational methods. ”

“Exhausting gases from turbines at 800 ° C and almost supersonic speed.” –Daniele pucci, Iit

Regardless of whether you use the future vision of Pucci for Ironcub as a platform from response to natural disaster, derivatives of current research can be immediately used outside the flying humanoid robots. A Algorithms To evaluate traction, you can use with other flying platforms that rely on aimed traction as Evtol aircraft. Aerodynamic compensation is relevant for humanoid robots, even if they do not fight air, if we expect that they can function when it is windy on the street.

More surprisingly, Pucci describes the recent cooperation with the industrial company, which will develop a new pneumatic captureThe field “At a certain moment we had to assess the force to control the capture, and we realized that the dynamics looked really like the speakers of jet turbines, and therefore we were able to use the same tools to control the capture. It was the moment “ah ha” for us: at first you do something crazy, but then you create tools and methods, and then you can use these tools in the industrial script. This is how to create new items and methods.

What is next for Ironcub: attracting talents and future improvements

There is another important reason for this, he says: “It's really cool.” In practice, a really cool flagship project, such as Ironcub, not only attracts talent to the Pucci laboratory, but also forces students and researchers passionate and involved. I saw this first -hand when I visited Iit last year, where I received a similar atmosphere to see Darpa Robotics Challenge And Darpa Sub– when people know that they are working on something Really coolThere it is a tangible, common and exciting buzz of excitement that passes. These are projects such as Ironcub that can make students love robotics.

In the near future, the new Jetpack with an additional degree of freedom will facilitate control over Ironcub, and Pucci would also like to add wings for a more effective flight over long distances. But the logistics logistics of the robot is becoming more and more complicated – there is only so far that the team can go with its current test stand (which is located on the roof of their building), and future progress will probably require coordination with Genoa Airport.

This will not be easy, but, as it makes it clear to understand Pucci: “This is not a joke. This is what we believe in. And this feeling makes something exceptional or possibly historical, what will be remembered is what motivated us. And we are just starting. ”