Robot Chef from China Prepares Steak Remotely: 1,118-Mile Distance Overridden
In a groundbreaking development, Chinese robotics firm Dobot Robotics has unveiled its humanoid robot, the Atom, capable of performing tasks with a precision of 0.05 millimeters. This remarkable achievement is made possible through a combination of advanced robotics and virtual reality (VR) technology.
The Atom robot's hands, designed with a high degree of precision, allow for fine movements essential for delicate tasks such as cooking. When controlled via VR, the operator's movements are translated into precise commands for the robot, enabling the engineer to perform tasks remotely with high accuracy by replicating their movements in real-time.
The VR system also provides real-time visual feedback to the operator, allowing them to adjust their actions based on the robot's movements. This feedback loop is crucial for maintaining precision over long distances. The robust communication system ensures that precise commands can be transmitted without significant latency, ensuring the robot can execute tasks smoothly and accurately.
The Atom robot, operated by an engineer based in Guangdong, China, wearing a VR headset that captured his hand gestures, was showcased preparing a steak remotely from 1,800 kilometers away. The demonstration serves as a proof of concept for using humanoid robots in environments that are dangerous, inaccessible, or require precision, such as nuclear plants, outer space, surgery, and housework.
At present, only the upper body of the Atom robot is controllable via VR; walking remains autonomous or limited. Dobot Robotics, one among 11 Chinese firms that entered mass production of humanoid robots in 2024, is taking an important step toward VR-controlled labor over vast distances.
Meanwhile, in other technological advancements, China has secretly developed a high-speed Needlefish set to advance autonomous sea defense. Turkey has tested a new fighter jet laser to zap heat-seeking missiles, while Korea's humanoid robot performs pull-ups with a 44-pound weight strapped on. The US firm has deployed the most powerful 60 kW roll-out solar arrays for NASA's lunar Gateway, and Japan's sci-fi glove steers drones with hand gestures in high-precision teleoperation.
In other news, a mysterious sword dating back to the medieval period was found at the bottom of a Polish river, tech mogul Elon Musk announced a new political party, and a mouse ear was regrown using a genetic switch, raising hopes for human organ healing. The discovery of 5,000 giant shoes in Britain has rekindled the 2,000-year-old Roman 'Bigfoot' mystery, and China is accused of using embassies to sabotage Rafale deals after the India-Pakistan clash.
References: [1] Dobot Robotics' Atom robot achieves a precision of 0.05 millimeters in its hand movements through a combination of advanced robotics and virtual reality (VR) technology. [2] The Atom robot was operated by an engineer based in Guangdong, China, wearing a VR headset that captured his hand gestures. [4] While the exact technical details of how Dobot Atom maintains this precision are not fully disclosed, the combination of advanced robotics hardware, precise control systems, and efficient VR technology are key to achieving such high precision over long distances.
The combination of advanced robotics and virtual reality technology, as demonstrated by Dobot Robotics' Atom robot, facilitates the performance of precise tasks like cooking, even remotely over vast distances. The Atom robot's fine movements are a testament to the innovation in robotics and science, paving the way for its potential application in various fields such as nuclear plants, outer space, surgery, and housework.
