Toyota Partner Robots specializes in advancing two types of technologies. One involves developing robots capable of playing musical instruments, by giving the robots artificial moving lips and hands and arms equipped with many joints for improved precision and control. The other involves further development of automobile driving control technologies in order to create new stabilizing technologies for robots.
Toyota is currently promoting the development of human-assisting partner robots in four main fields: domestic duties, nursing and medical care, manufacturing, and short-distance personal transportation. The violin-playing robot demonstrates achievements that can be applied in the fields of domestic duties and nursing and medical care.
The violin-playing robot is capable of performing a variety of tasks with its hands and arms, thanks to its multiple joints. The dexterous, human-like hand movement and arm strength demonstrated by the robot when playing the violin, give it the potential to be an ideal assistant around the house or a skillful caretaker.
Toyota states that their future plans for this robot are “advancing further development of hand and arm flexibility in order to be able to use general purpose tools.”
TFOT recently covered the “Shadow Hand”– the most precise robotic imitation of a human hand, which provides 24 different degrees of movement. In addition, TFOT recently covered two concepts developed by Toyota, I-Real – a personal mobility vehicle that easily changes its shape to fit its speed, and I-foot -Toyota’s walking, mountable robot developed for three-dimensional mobility.
More information on Toyota’s violin playing robot can be found on the company’s website.
