A humanoid robot is basically a robot that has a body built which is similar to that of a human body. These robots are designated for the performance of different functions that include the interaction with environment and human tools, for experiments like, study of bipedal locomotion or many other purposes. Generally, these humanoid robots have a full-fledged body which incorporates a head, torso, arms and legs. However, sometimes these robots may flaunt just one part of the body such as, from the waist up. Also, there are robots that show off facial features as well.
One of the most common humanoid robots is Androids which has been designed specifically to bear a strong resemblance to the human beings. They are however, not an attempt to reinvent humans. The goal has never been and will never be to make robots that can be used as human beings interchangeably. Instead, the main motive behind the invention of these robots is to have a new tool that is different from all the tools that we have seen all through the years as it is designed to work with them and human beings as well. These humanoids are socially interactive with people and the everyday environments. Robots have existed for quite some time and must say, they are our saviors as they perform the most tedious of tasks in a jiffy.
The humanoid robots are not designed for the purpose of working; instead they have been designated to behave safely amongst human beings and extent the human capability to a range of environments and tasks. Humanoid robotics is not yet a well-known field today but it is a fundamental instinct driving collective effort that cut across various regulations. Computer, mechanical and electrical engineers, biologists, psychologists, physicists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, linguists and artificial intelligence are all combined for the contribution and claiming for the diversification of different humanoid projects all through the world. Inexorably, there are quite a few projects that choose to put emphasis on the mechanical function and form of the body of the humanoid robot while there may be other projects that choose to emphasize the software for the animation of these humanoid robotic bodies.
Other features are basically much concerned for the development of useful applications that are made use of commercially in the entertainment and service industry. Many a times, there may be deeply methodological and ideological differences. There is basically no easy way to describe a humanoid robot, just as it is to define a human being. One will only understand what the robot is on seeing it but will still have difficulties in penning it down on a piece of paper. The body is physically constituted to be very crucial.
And it is not astonishing, that most of the times people opt for humanoid robots as a robot with two arms, two legs and a head like that of humans. Inopportunely, this definition does not completely explain the functionality and capability of these robots to receive process and respond to information. In addition, there are a number of human robotic projects that spend almost all their bulk efforts on one portion of the body, which can be the legs, arms or head. Instead of differentiating these humanoid robots by their physical appearances, we must identify them with the complementary researches that have taken place and have managed to stand out as distinctive emphasis.
This study basically incorporates the study of various human factors which include the control and working of humanoid robots. Is it possible to communicate with robots as we normally would with other people? And being large and heavy, how is human safety guaranteed? This area focuses on coding and training mechanism which lets the robots pick up visual clues like facial expressions and gestures; much work has been done on this part and for the assurance of safety of the individuals.
In order to exploit, these humanoids require having legs. They must be able to perform all the actions that normal human legs perform such as walking up the stairs, inclination on straight or rough paths. The problem however is not just walking, but being able to walk with balance that is essential. For insight, a closer look is taken at the human body.
Chopping vegetables, pouring coffee, catching and juggling balls and doing telesurgery are some of the dexterous tasks and the robots need to have proper and adaptive control where stylish degradation is realized. The humanoid robot body works as one and even a tiny error in any body part can entirely ruin the whole body performance.