Scientists at the University of Zurich's Artificial Intelligence
lab, have given themselves just nine months to build him - and
he's almost ready to be unveiled in public. What makes Roboy
different to other humanoid robots is the way he moves. He's
being developed to walk like a human through the use of what
Professor Rolf Pfeifer calls tendon driven technology.
"Traditionally most robots have motors in their joints. But
humans don't have motors in their joints and we try to be more
realistic in terms of imitating human beings. Humans have bones,
joints, muscles and tendons, so this is also called a tendon
driven robot," Pfeifer said. It took six months to build Roboy's
torso. Modelled on human anatomy it has a flexible spinal chord.
But Roboy won't be confined to a lab - scientists envisage a
future where automotons like Roboy work in factories or in homes
helping the elderly. "It can be used in a household environment,
in can be used in a manufacturing environment, wherever we
cooperate with people and I t