Toyota Research Institute
Toyota Research Institute
Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is a subsidiary of the multinational automotive manufacturer, Toyota, and is based in Japan. The institute is exploring various facets of robotics and is responsible for building Toyota's third generation humanoid robot, the T-HR3[1].
The T-HR3 Robot
The T-HR3 is a 1.5-meter humanoid robot designed to interact safely and naturally with its surroundings, and with the person controlling it[2]. This robot weighs 75 kilograms and features 32 degrees of torque-controlled motion[3]. It possesses some core capabilities: flexible joint control, whole-body coordination and balance control, and real remote maneuvering – thanks to its Torque Servo Module. These features enable the robot to control the force of contact it makes with any individual or object in its environment, to retain balance even when it collides with objects, and to mirror user movements with seamless and intuitive control[4].
The development of the T-HR3 is championed by a research and development group led by Tomohisa Moridaira, based at Toyota's Tokyo Head Office.[5]