Iron Man-like Robot Designed By Italian Engineers To Save Disaster Victims, Its Face Is Still Scary
Iron Man robot designed to save disaster victims. (photo: doc. Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)

JAKARTA – A group of Italian engineers have designed an Iron Man-style robot. The robot is designed to help humans during natural disasters by wading through debris and using its propulsion backpack to fly over difficult terrain.

The robot, named iCub, was developed by experts at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genoa, Italy. The robotic propulsion system in the palm of the iCub's hand will allow it to control the force and direction as it glides through the air using a propulsion rocket.

The iCub's modest size – just 3.4 feet – and propulsion capabilities will allow it to reach places that cannot be reached by humans or drones to search for human survivors in a disaster.

This robot is reminiscent of the Iron Man armor worn by Tony Stark, a Marvel Comics character played by Robert Downey Jr.

According to experts at IIT, the field of robotics is still lagging behind when it comes to offering affordable solutions for disaster scenarios.

"Every year, about 300 natural disasters kill around 90.000 people and affect 160 million people worldwide," the institute's website said. "Unfortunately, robotics is still lagging behind in offering an affordable solution in this disastrous scenario."

The iCub robot itself has been in development for more than 15 years. At 104 cm tall, the robot only appears to be the size of a five-year-old child and comes with a slightly scary doll-like face. Maybe this facial problem should be made more detailed so it doesn't seem scary.

The iCub robot can crawl on all fours, walk and sit to manipulate objects, such as building shards or debris, while its arms have been designed to support advanced manipulation skills.

“It is one of the few platforms in the world with sensitive full-body skin to handle safe physical interactions with the environment,” says IIT. The IIT team has been working on robotics for the last 15 years, with the aim of propelling Italy to excel in this sector.

A video simulation from experts shows how a human operator can remotely use the software to move the iCub around a disaster scenario.

"The developed simulator integrates sound simulations, which are derived from real experiments carried out for the purpose of jet identification and control," say the engineers. "Finally, the control algorithm ensures the robot can take off and land vertically, with orientation control and flight information."


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