STMicroelectronics (News - Alert) and the Waseda University Humanoid Robotics Institute (HRI) have developed a high-performance two-wheel inverted pendulum robot.

 

Named WV-1 (Waseda wheeled Vehicle-No.1), the new release is the first result of an ongoing cooperation for the research and development of technology and solutions for innovative humanoid robots and medical-care robot systems.

 

Both partners are using leading-edge semiconductor know-how to promote the speedier development of innovative ‘humanoids’ and medical-care robotic systems, involving researchers and development engineers from both ST and HRI.

 

Under the agreement, ST will supply semiconductor products to HRI and also provide them with semiconductor prototypes on a cost-free basis, enabling HRI to conduct advanced evaluations of possible humanoid and medical-care robotic applications. In the future, both companies intend to establish an ST-sponsored scholarship system for HRI students.

 

Marco Cassis, corporate vice president and president of STMicroelectronics K.K., ST's subsidiary in Japan, explained that with expectations running high for the growth of humanoid and medical-care robotic systems markets, semiconductor-fueled innovation is an extremely important field.

 

He stated that by combining HRI’s globally-renowned breakthroughs in robotics and ST’s highly-advanced know-how in semiconductor technology, they are confident in their ability to accelerate technological innovation in humanoid robotics and medical-care robot systems.

 

Robotics Technology (RT) is expected to be a fundamental technology for the sustainable development of human society in the 21st century and is expected to be widely used in manufacturing industries, as well as in such industries such as nursing care and medical treatment and in industries confronted by food and environmental issues, according to Professor Shuji Hashimoto, director of the Waseda University HRI.

 

He says their Institute has been researching and developing advanced intelligent robots for the next generation through the integration of machine technology and information technology.

 

Emphasizing that the introduction of cutting-edge microelectronics technology is essential to the realization of such robots, Professor Hashimoto said they have high expectations that their cooperation with ST will accelerate their research. HRI will also pursue a new model of industrial-academic cooperation through concrete cooperative activities with ST in education and research fields.

 

HRI was reportedly awarded a grant from “the project for reinforcement of development technologies for robotics” from The Robotics Industry Development Council. HRI used the grant for the development of the WV-1 and is now working on plans to commercialize the robot.