Singapore company Fourier Intelligence has released a video showing at least a dozen of its GR-1 humanoids, set for customer delivery this year. But while the GR-1 might have the best hips in robotics, it ain't gonna win any rug-cutting contests.
The hips in question are the beefy 300-Nm (221-lb-ft) hip actuators with which Fourier says the GR-1 will be able to lift a remarkable 50 kg (110 lb) of weight – nearly as much as the 1.65-m (5.4-ft)-tall robot weighs itself at 55 kg (121 lb).
That's because – as we've covered before – the GR-1 is designed to work as a caregiver and therapy assistant for the elderly. It's unlikely to lift 50 kg boxes off the floor, but will probably be able to help a patient get up from a bed, toilet or wheelchair thanks to large, purple handles on its hips.
Fourier is planning to ship 100 units by the end of the year. These won't be fully functional, intelligent robots, though. They'll be hardware/software platforms with basic abilities. Fourier will send them mainly to R&D labs, where a range of distributed teams will attempt to make the GR-1 fit for useful service.
And that's probably why we get this video – to show that Fourier has built at least 12 full humanoids that are ready to ship with a certain level of capability.
It's not a high level of capability, though. Indeed, it's probably fair to say the camera moves more dynamically than the bots themselves, which wiggle their fingers, wave their arms, make some feeble air punches, rock a shallow half-squat or two, twist at the waist, and do a little bit of stiff-legged walking.
So they're certainly no threat in a dance-off against Atlas from Boston Dynamics, which along with some acrobatic flips and whatnot has also been known to bust out a mean running man on occasion, as well as a rudimentary but functional twist. Check out the Fourier bots below.
Source: Fourier Intelligence Robotics
