Engineering news
NimbRo, from Bonn in Germany, was awarded $5m after topping the ANA Avatar XPrize, which held its final test event in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday (5 November).
The four-year competition, one of several organised by XPrize to “solve humanity’s greatest challenges”, culminated with 17 finalists demonstrating their robots’ ability to perform tasks remotely.
With a vision system, robotic arms and hands, a video screen and omnidirectional mecanum wheels, the NimbRo machine was controlled by an ‘operator judge’ using a virtual reality (VR) headset and various remote controls transmitting movements from his hands and feet as it completed tasks on stage. The challenges included navigating an obstacle-filled area, picking up and placing objects, and using an electric screwdriver. Other tasks evaluated its ability to interact with people.
Pollen Robotics of Bordeaux, France and Team Northeastern of Boston, Massachusetts, were won second and third prize respectively, claiming $2m and $1m.
“The winning teams integrated multiple emerging technologies to develop a physical robotic avatar system, through which its operator can see, hear, and interact with objects in a remote environment, transporting the operator as if they were truly there,” an XPrize announcement said. “These avatars, also referred to as telepresence systems, enable people to apply their skills in critical situations over great physical distances.”
Sponsored by All Nippon Airways (ANA), the competition ended with the final held in front of a live audience of 2,100 people over two days, and more people watching online.
“NimbRo’s work demonstrates the remarkable potential of avatar technology to transcend time and distance and help address urgent human challenges, from health care access to disaster relief,” said Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPrize. “The final testing event was an exciting opportunity to share the power of telepresence, with thousands of people in-person and around the world. We are grateful to all the participating teams for their impressive work and their efforts to boldly push technological boundaries.”
Junko Yazawa, executive vice-president of ANA, said: “The ANA Avatar XPrize demonstrates the power of avatar technology and its ability to strengthen our society and improve lives. These innovations, exemplified by the work of NimbRo and the other finalists, are a major step forward toward our goal of creating a more connected world.”
David Locke, executive director of the event, said: “Telepresence and avatar technology will be an essential part of human progress in the decades to come. Through the ANA Avatar XPrize, what we saw these past few days was a leap ahead in this technology area that will make a difference in how people connect in the future. XPrize is proud to be a driving force behind these remarkable innovations.”
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