Today, when intelligence is popularized, it is not uncommon to build robots across borders. For example, Tesla released a humanoid robot, Xiaopeng released an intelligent robot horse, and even Xiaomi built a bionic robot dog "Iron Egg", one is more interesting than the other.

However, when it comes to building robots, Sony is considered the "predecessors" of these few, and the robots it develops will be actively applied to various fields.
Last year, Sony and Harvard created a surgical robot that is about the size of a tennis ball and weighs the same as a penny. It should be used for eye surgery and has 68% higher accuracy than manual control tools. It is said that the robot successfully completed the simulated version of the precise program, but it will take some time to be used in the operating room.

This year, Sony has developed a special "manipulator" that can be used to grasp objects with fingertips to flexibly adjust the grip. Soft objects such as flowers can also be picked up while maintaining the shape of the object. It is said that the goal of this manipulator is to replace human hands and achieve practical use in fields such as nursing and support for the disabled.

It can be seen that Sony built robots to better replace manpower to complete some important tasks.
With the continuous enrichment of experience, the application field of robots is also expanding. Recently, the Sony Group has developed a new hexapod-wheeled robot that can move stably and efficiently on rugged terrain. The official plan is to introduce it to the construction site to transport cameras and various measuring equipment and other objects, which can greatly reduce the labor burden and improve work efficiency!

At present, the robot has been initially put into use, and demonstration tests are being carried out on the construction site of Sony’s partner "Shimizu Construction".

The robot is 91 centimeters long, 67 centimeters wide, 72 centimeters high, and weighs about 89kg. The shape is not so light and cute. After all, we are here to work.

In order to move flexibly, the leg structure of the robot consists of six drivers equipped with wheels. When moving, more than three of the six wheels are always in contact with the ground to keep the body stable to the maximum. In addition, the legs are retractable. With the help of a driving device, the legs can extend up to 50 cm and can span a height difference of 30 cm. It is a good climber.

It is so clever that it can flexibly switch between wheeled movement using a wheel drive and foot movement driven by six legs alternately according to environmental needs. Just move the wheels on a level ground, in addition to straight forward, turns are also very smooth.

If it is a place with a height difference such as up and down stairs, it is used together with wheels and legs.
Here is a detail. When the front legs are raised to cross the steps, the wheels of the back legs continue to move. This way is faster than just relying on the legs to move, and can achieve efficient back and forth movement. It can maintain the speed even when moving from a flat ground to an uneven road, which is currently not possible with many wheeled mobile robots.

Thanks to Sony's original coordinated control system for the whole machine, the system can flexibly control the force exerted on the robot joints, and can maintain stable operation even on uneven roads. In short, whether the robot moves on a flat or uneven road, it is very stable and will not shake.

It is worth mentioning that the robot inherits the design concept of the four-legged robot exhibited by Sony on IROS 2021. It can disperse the load on the legs and motors during operation or in a static state, and minimize the load on the legs and motors. The energy consumed by the robot to support its own weight. The saved energy is used to carry goods, and it is said that it can carry up to 20 kilograms of heavy objects.

In addition, the robot also has an automatic avoidance function, which can minimize impact and disperse force when external force is applied. As for the walking speed, the official said that the robot’s legs are equipped with an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), which can provide peak current, and the maximum movement speed is 1.7 m/s.

In addition to transporting heavy objects, officials have also installed cameras and measuring equipment on the robots to enable them to complete tasks such as patrols, surveillance, and distance measurement. He can do heavy work and fine work, and he can be called a "little expert" on the construction site.

Although the robot has been actually tested on the construction site, Sony intends to improve it. The next goal is to improve its autonomous mobility, such as formulating a moving route, while ensuring stable control. In short, if the robot can be used in large numbers on construction sites in the future to complete patrols, monitoring, and construction turnover inspections, it will greatly save labor.

Four-legged Robot Dog;

AMR Robot;

Dispatching Robot