This freaky robot works out and sweats like us
People expect robots to perform complex tasks, but they don't realize that making a machine stronger at hands and rigid elsewhere couldn't be the way to bring efficiency. A bot has to be and act like a human, which is exactly what we've seen in Kengoro - a robot that works out and, guess what, sweats too. Here's everything to know about it.
Can this robot really do exercises like push-ups?
Yes, Kengoro, which has been built by University of Tokyo researchers, mimics human body movements to do push-ups. And, not just that. It can even play badminton and do crunches, calf raises, chin-ups, back extensions, and do many more exercises. It definitely looks a little jittery, but it's much more flexible than any humanoid on the block.
Here's how it achieves these movements
As Kengoro's aluminium structure has been modeled after a 5.5ft-tall teenager, it boasts pretty similar human body proportions. You can see its bone-to-bone and muscle-like strut arrangements (including five-fingered hands and a rib-cage) connected with actuators and wires. When the machine is powered, the actuators or motors pull these wires and trigger human-like muscle expansion and contraction, leading to the action associated with it.
And, what about the sweating part?
While no technology in the world, as of now, can really make robots perspire (they're not that alive), Kengoro 'sweats' by the way of heat expulsion via pores. There's water running in its body that cools down the actuators and maintains its workout efficiency for several minutes. After cooling the motors, the water gets heated and is expelled via pores in Kengoro's body.
Future possibilities with Kengoro
Kengoro needs to improve in several areas, but in our opinion, the robot has a good chance of mimicking humans actions to perfection. The reason for this is simple - it is not just trying to do what we do but is also taking the same approach for it. If that happens, it could prove really handy, especially in things like crash tests.
