5/14/2009

Meet Hiro, the QNX-controlled humanoid robot

Got US $77,000 burning a hole in your pocket? If so, you can now buy your very own QNX-controlled humanoid robot.

Or perhaps not. The robot, dubbed HIRO, is designed primarily for research and teaching programs in college and university labs. So chances are, you don’t want to bring this guy home. Unless, of course, programming robots to clean dishes and do the laundry is your thing.

Kidding aside, HIRO is a pretty serious piece of robotics, with a total of 15 degrees of freedom, stereo vision camera, two robotic hands, two hand-mounted cameras, and a repeat positioning accuracy of less than 20 micrometers. It also has a serious purpose, allowing researchers to study how robots work in real-world environments.

If you still want one, but don't have the cash, relax: You have buy the starter version for $57,000. Mind you, for that money, you could buy a 2009 BMW 320i. Decision, decisions...

HIRO was co-developed by Kawada Industries and General Robotix (GRX). For more information, check out the articles published by Tech-On and Engadget.

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