Balancing Humanoid Robot

Eerily human like in movement. [Link]

If robots are going to work alongside humans, then they will need to stand up to accidental bumps and shoves, not to mention the occasional deliberate kick.

That is why researchers in Japan have developed software that allows a life-size humanoid robot to stay on its feet no matter where on its body it is pushed. Theirs is the first full-size humanoid to show such steadiness – others of similar size inevitably topple over when nudged in the right spot.

This video shows a series of experiments (.mov format) where the robot is subjected to repeated pushes. Another shows the same strategy being tested by a virtual robot receiving harder pushes (.mp4 format) (Videos courtesy ATR Computational Neuroscience Lab and IEEE).