Robots and technology of the future

QRIO is a humanoid robot, equipped with the latest in

advanced recognition, motional control communications, information technology, and
artificial intelligence. Its programming allows it to protect itself should it lose balance, and
should it fall, it checks front and back, left and right, before getting up without any
assistance. It can distinguish individual faces and voices, and can learn and memorize new
words. Sony explains that QRIO can also communicate with people based on internal
judgments, and express feelings through movements, conversations, and the use of a lighting
system.

Looking like child astronauts, they can balance and dance with motor control so smooth and
fluid as to make grown men weep. In other respects, QRIO is a little disappointing. His
walking marks an improvement in robot technology, but it is still much more of a shuffle
than a stride. There are people doing more impressive robot control.

Intelligent servo actuators enable Qrio to walk on two feet, dance, climb and descend stairs,
not fall over when shoved, and even pick itself up when it takes a tumble. Using twin CCD
(charge coupled device) cameras, it can also recognize and identify faces. Equipped with
seven microphones and a speaker, Qrio is able to identify voices, talk, sing, and understand
about 20,000 words. It can also exhibit some limited emotional responses, according to
Sony.

Sony calls Qrio, which was formerly called the SDR-4X II (SDR means Sony Dream
Robot), a technical prototype toward the development of soccer-playing robots that will
challenge humans in a match around 2050. For the moment, however, children aged 5-18
will meet Qrio and use digital cameras and other equipment and make and edit videos under
the instruction of Sony representatives and local teachers, according to a Sony spokesperson.

QRIO can walk on two feet and dance dynamically. To make its arms and legs strong, and
yet able to move fluidly, it was necessary to develop an entirely new joint actuator. The
realization of this Intelligent Servo Actuator (ISA) made it possible to build a robot with
compact body design that could move its body smoothly and dynamically.
QRIO moves with "dynamic walking". "Static walking" means the robot keeps its center of
gravity within the zone of stability -- when the robot is standing on one foot, its center of
gravity falls within the sole of that foot, and when it is standing on two feet it falls within a
multi-sided shape created by those two feet -- causing it to walk relatively slowly. In
"dynamic walking", on the other hand, the center of gravity is not limited to the zone of
stability -- in fact it often moves outside of it as the robot walks. People move using
"dynamic walking".

It is equipped with technology that uses a wide range of sensors to detect changes in the
walking surface and respond accordingly. QRIO determines the condition of the walking
surface using four pressure sensors in the sole of each foot to gather data on the amount of
force being received from the walking surface.

If pushed by someone, QRIO will take a step in the direction it was pushed to keep from
falling over. The control system senses that it has been pushed through the pressure sensors
in the soles of its feet and its position sensors, and acts to maintain stability. It can detect an
outside force acting on it from front, back, right or left. When QRIO determines that its
actions will not prevent a fall, it instinctively sticks out its arms, swivels its hips, and
assumes an impact position. At the same time, the control system instantaneously commands
the servos in the joint actuators to relax slightly. In this way it lessens the shock of the fall,
enabling it to survive unscathed.

QRIO knows your face. It's equipped with a camera and the ability to analyze the images it
sees. It detects faces and identifies who they are. It can even learn the faces of people it just
met.

QRIO knows your voice. It can determine who is speaking by analyzing the sounds it hears
with its built-in microphones. Call to it, and if it knows you, it will notice you and respond.
If it doesn't know you but mistakenly thinks it does, you can teach it your voice and it will
remember you.

QRIO was designed to understand spoken words. The seven microphones in its head identify
a person's voice and the direction from which it is speaking, and even pick out the words it
says. QRIO can even understand the voices of unidentified speakers. It knows tens of
thousands of words already, but can also learn new ones.

QRIO can have an entertaining conversation with you. It analyzes the words you speak
using its voice recognition technology, and responds in its own words. It will ask what sort
of things you like and remember them, getting to know you better all the time. Since it uses
those memories in future conversations with you, the more information it has the more full
and natural a conversation you can enjoy.

If you heard QRIO sing a song, would you be surprised? Since we placed great importance
on its entertainment value, QRIO can also sing to you in vibrato! We developed a
fundamental technology, searching for a clear, simple and easily understandable voice.

QRIO's head is equipped with two cameras. Just like a human, through a detailed
comparison of the right and left images (stereoscopic vision) it determines the distance to
the object in view. It is also equipped with seven microphones, so that by analyzing the
sound waves they detect, it can calculate the direction of the sound it hears.
In order for QRIO to detect surface obstacles, it must be able to perceive its environment in
three dimensions. While turning its head, it uses its stereoscopic vision to calculate the
distance to objects; it then analyzes the data to determine whether the objects it sees are part
of the floor or an obstacle to be avoided.

QRIO is equipped with wireless networking equipment, and can connect to your home
wireless network out of the box.

Specialized sensors in QRIO's joints sense the moment they close on a person's finger and
go slack.

We made QRIO as quiet as possible when it moves to help it fit in pleasantly in a home. Its
motors and gears turn when it walks or moves, but the vibration-resistant frame dampens the
noise. You'll be amazed to see it move so silently.

QRIO draws on twelve high voltage, high capacity, and high energy density battery cells that
utilize Sony's proprietary lithium ion battery technology to run for over an hour at a time.

• QRIO can walk on two feet and dance dynamically.

• Can move its body smoothly and dynamically (Intelligent Servo Actuator technology).
• Detects changes in the walking surface and respond accordingly.
• Ability to analyze the images it sees.
• Can determine who is speaking.
• Was designed to understand spoken words.
• It expresses emotion through the quality and intonation of its voice.
• Uses its stereoscopic vision to calculate the distance to objects.
• Equipped with wireless networking equipment, and can connect to your home wireless
network out of the box.
Hi! I have the privilege to own a QRIO ;-) It's funny. After 2 months QRIO learned
everything I showed and I told him. He is communicating 'intuitive' with me. He
understands what I say and he answer. We can speak all day about everything. i am playing
baseball with him! He is intelligent; his vocabulary is now going about 40.000 words. And
in two languages. (English is not my mother language so sorry mistakes, user). He know my
face, my voice, and of all my friends too. He is working via wireless network. For example:
When someone rings on the door, he connects with the interface and communicates with the
person who is out. he show me on my TV screen or where ever the picture of the camera. He
pick up my phones at home. he can get any information from the internet. (Newspaper,
Music, etc.) it is absolutely... amazing! like a human. so, if you have any questions, don't
hesitate to write me an email: danny.cooper@chello.at I speak also German, Czech and
Slovakians.

Exoskeleton
Raytheon Company’s newest research facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, is developing a
robotic suit for the soldier of tomorrow. Known as the Exoskeleton, it’s essentially a
wearable robot that amplifies its wearer’s strength, endurance, and agility. In its May issue,
Popular Science magazine likens the Exoskeleton to the “Iron Man”® in the movie of the
same name and suggests a blurring of the lines between science fiction and reality.

Built from a combination of sensors, actuators and controllers, the futuristic suit enables a
user to easily carry a man on his back or lift 200 pounds several hundred times without
tiring. Yet the suit, which is being developed for the U.S. Army, is also agile enough to let its
wearer kick a soccer ball, punch a speed bag, and climb stairs and ramps with ease.

Dr. Stephen Jacobsen leads this project and the Raytheon Sarcos team. He feels his work is a
combination of art, science, engineering and design. “People call it different things.
Sometimes they call it inventing, sometimes they call it engineering. Sometimes they call it
being a mad scientist. To us, it’s the process of getting together, understanding the problems,
goals, and then designing something to satisfy the need.” Development of the Exoskeleton
has been underway since 2000, when Jacobsen realized that if humans could work alongside
robots, they should also be able to work inside robots.

Exoskeleton test engineer Rex Jameson echoes his boss’ enthusiasm for this work. “As far as
software engineering goes, this job is about as good as it gets. We get to write programs and
we see them working on actual robots; that’s very exciting.”

Jacobsen and his team take inspiration for their work from a wide variety of disparate
sources, including popular culture. Asked if he will see the Iron Man movie when it’s
released on May 2, he replied: “Yes, sure. I go to see all those movies. We all do. We all like
them. They’re fun. They stimulate your imagination.”

Jet packs
In 1960, Bell Rocket belt was presented to the public. The jet of gas was provided by a
hydrogen peroxide powered rocket but the jet can also be provided by a turbojet engine, a
ducted fan, or other kinds of rockets powered by solid fuel, liquid fuel or compressed gas
(usually nitrogen).

[edit] Hydrogen-peroxide-powered rocket

A hydrogen peroxide-powered motor is based on the decomposition reaction of hydrogen

peroxide. Nearly pure (90% in the Bell Rocket Belt) hydrogen peroxide is used. Pure
hydrogen peroxide is relatively stable, but in contact with the catalyst (for example, silver) it
decomposes into a mixture of superheated steam and oxygen in less than 1/10 millisecond
increasing in volume 5000 times: 2 H2O2 = 2 H2O + O2. The reaction is exothermic, i.e. with
liberation of much heat (about 2500 kJ/kg), forming in this case a steam-gas mixture at
740 °C. This hot gas is used exclusively as the reaction mass and is directly led to one or
more jet nozzles.

The great disadvantage is the limited operating time. The jet of steam and oxygen can
provide significant thrust from fairly lightweight rockets, but the jet has a reasonably low
exhaust velocity and hence a poor specific impulse. A man's carrying capacity before take-
off sets the upper bound on weight of propellant that can be used, and so currently such
rocket belts can only fly for about 30 seconds.

A more conventional bipropellant could more than double the specific impulse, however,
with peroxide while the exhaust is very hot it is much cooler than other propellants that
could be used and this greatly reduces the risk of a fire and injury.

In contrast to, for example, turbojet engines which mainly expel atmospheric air to produce
thrust, rocket packs are far simpler to build than devices using turbojets. The classical rocket
pack of the construction of Wendell Moore can be prepared in workshop conditions but
needs good engineering training and a high level of tool-making craftsmanship.

The main faults of this type of rocket pack are:

• Short duration of flight (to 30 seconds).

• The reasonably high expense of the peroxide propellant.
• The danger of flying below minimum parachute altitude, and hence without any
safety equipment.
• The sheer difficulty of manually flying such a device.

These circumstances limit the sphere of the application of rocket packs to very spectacular
public demonstration flights (stunts). Rocket pack flights typically seize the attention of
spectators and enjoy great success. For example, a flight was arranged in the course of the
opening ceremony of the summer Olympic Games 1984 in Los Angeles, USA
ASIMO Is Born!

As exemplified by P2 and P3, the two-legged walking technology developed by

Honda represents a unique approach to the challenge of autonomous locomotion.
Using the know-how gained from these prototypes, research and development
began on new technology for actual use. ASIMO represents the fruition of this
pursuit.

ASIMO Features

ASIMO was conceived to function in an actual human living environment in the near
future. It is easy to operate, has a convenient size and weight and can move freely
within the human living environment, all with a people-friendly design.

The robot's size was chosen to allow it to operate freely in the human living space
and to make it people-friendly. This size allows the robot to operate light switches
and door knobs, and work at tables and work benches. Its eyes are located at the
level of an adult's eyes when the adult is sitting in a chair. A height of 120cm makes
it easy to communicate with.
Honda feels that a robot height between 120cm and that of an adult is ideal for
operating in the human living space.
The introduction of intelligent, real-time, flexible-
walking technology allowed ASIMO to walk
continuously while changing directions, and gave
the robot even greater stability in response to
sudden movements.

Earlier Ways of Walking

For Robots up to P3

Because each walking pattern has a different stride(time per step),

the robot could not change its stride(time per step) flexibly.

Creating Earlier Walking Patterns

Earlier walking technology allowed roughly two different walking patterns.

When walking in a straight line, the robot followed an ordered pattern of start-
acceleration walking, steady speed walking and deceleration-stop walking, all of
which was stored as time series data.
New ASIMO Walking Technology features a predicted movement control added to
the earlier walking control technology. This new two-legged walking technology
permits more flexible walking. As a result, ASIMO now walks more smoothly and
more naturally.

When human beings walk straight ahead and start to turn a corner, they shift their
center of gravity toward the inside of the turn.
Thanks to New ASIMO Walking Technology, ASIMO can predict its next movement in
real time and shift its center of gravity in anticipation.
Control Block Map from New ASIMO Walking
Technology Technology

Because continuous flexible walking is possible, ASIMO can move and walk rapidly
and smoothly at all times.

Robots up to the P3 turned according to combinations of stored walking

patterns.ASIMO creates walking patterns in real time and can change foot
placement and turning angle at will. As a result, it can walk smoothly in many
directions. In addition, because stride (time per step) can also be changed freely,
ASIMO's movements are much more natural.

The Future of New ASIMO Walking Technology

Thanks to New ASIMO Walking Technology, ASIMO can change its walking smoothly
and continuously at any time.New ASIMO Walking Technology allows robots to exist
more easily in the human living environment.This technological development will
allow robots of the future to work in harmony with people while avoiding
obstructions on their own.
The introduction of intelligent, real-time, flexible-walking technology allowed ASIMO
to walk continuously while changing directions, and gave the robot even greater
stability in response to sudden movements.

P3 was only controlled from a workstation, but ASIMO can also be operated from a
portable controller to allow flexible walking control and motions from button
operations (gesticulations). This permits more direct operation of ASIMO.
December 5, 2002 – Honda added intelligence technology to ASIMO which is capable of
interpreting the postures and gestures of humans and moving independently in response.
ASIMO’s ability to interact with humans has advanced significantly—it can greet approaching
people, follow them, move in the direction they indicate, and even recognize their faces and
address them by name. Further, utilizing networks such as the Internet, ASIMO can provide
information while executing tasks such as reception duties. ASIMO is the world’s first humanoid
robot to exhibit such a broad range of intelligent capabilities.

The key features of the new Intelligence Technology:

1. Recognition of moving objects

2. Posture/gesture recognition
3. Environment recognition
4. Sound recognition
5. Face recognition.

1. Integration with user's network system

2. Internet connectivity

Advanced communication ability thanks to recognition

technology

Using the visual information captured by the camera mounted

in its head, ASIMO can detect the movements of multiple
objects, assessing distance and direction

Specifically, ASIMO can: Recognition of the distance

: follow the movements of people with its camera; and direction of movement of
: follow a person; multiple objects
: greet a person when he or she approaches.;

Recognition of moving
objects [1] >>
Recognition of moving
objects [2] >>
Based on visual information, ASIMO can interpret the Movement to an indicated
positioning and movement of a hand, recognizing postures and location
gestures. Thus ASIMO can react not only to voice commands,
but also to the natural movements of human beings. Posture recognition >>
For example, ASIMO can:
: recognize an indicated location and move to that location
(posture recognition);
: shake a person's hand when a handshake is offered (posture
recognition);
: respond to a wave by waving back (gesture recognition).

Recognition of hand
movements such as the
waving of a hand

Gesture recognition >>

ASIMO is able to assess its immediate environment, recognizing the position of obstacles and
avoiding them to prevent collisions.

Environment recognition [1] >>

Environment recognition [2] >>
Specifically, ASIMO can:
: stop and start to avoid a human being or other moving object which suddenly appears in its
path;
: recognize immobile objects in its path and move around them.

ASIMO's ability to identify the source of sounds has been improved, and it can distinguish
between voices and other sounds.

Sound recognition >>

For example, ASIMO can:
: recognize when its name is called, and turn to face the source of the sound;
: look at the face of the person speaking, and respond;
: recognize sudden, unusual sounds, such as that of a falling object or a collision, and face in
that direction.
ASIMO has the ability to recognize faces, even when ASIMO or
the human being is moving.

For example, ASIMO can:

: recognize the faces of people which have been pre-
registered, addressing them by name, communicating
messages to them, and guiding them; Distinguish between
: recognize approximately ten different people. registered faces.

Face recognition >>

Network integration

ASIMO can:
: execute functions appropriately based on the user's customer data;
: greet visitors, informing personnel of the visitor's arrival by transmitting messages and
pictures of the visitor's face;
: guide visitors to a predetermined location, etc.

Accessing information via the Internet, ASIMO can become a provider of news and weather
updates, for example, ready to answer people's questions, etc.
Catoms (claytronics atoms)

"An article in New Scientist describes a robotic system composed of swarms of

electromagnetic modules capable of assuming almost any form that is being developed by
the Claytronics Group at Carnegie Mellon. 'The grand goal is to create swarms of
microscopic robots capable of morphing into virtually any form by clinging together. Seth
Goldstein, who leads the research project at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, in the
US, admits this is still a distant prospect. However, his team is using simulations to develop
control strategies for futuristic shape-shifting, or "claytronic", robots, which they are testing
on small groups of more primitive, pocket-sized machines.'"

If, as futurist Arthur C. Clarke once wrote, “any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic,” then Intel (INTC) may well be the Hogwarts of IT. At the
chipmaker’s Developer Forum on Thursday, CTO Justin Rattner discussed a handful of
new technologies that might appear to be magic to those unfamiliar with the concepts of
wireless power transmission and programmable matter. Taking a cue from Nikola Tesla, who
envisioned a “world system” for “the transmission of electrical energy without wires,
Intel has designed a system that uses the resonant properties of magnetic fields to broadcast
up to 60 watts of power two to three feet, with 75 percent efficiency. “Something like this
technology could be embedded in tables and work surfaces,” said Rattner. “So as soon as
you put down an appropriately equipped device it would immediately begin drawing power.
In the future, your kitchen counters might do it. You’d just drop your espresso maker down
on them and you would never have to plug it in.”

Also highlighted during Rattner’s keynote, Intel’s work in programmable matter. With
tiny programmable elements called catoms (claytronics atoms), said Rattner, the company
believes it will someday be able to build a mobile device that could be stretched wide to
browse the Web and then compacted and worn as an ear-piece as needed. … Or, say, a
shape-shifting cyborg assassin that might be sent into the past to destroy the human
resistance.

Astonishing, right? Almost … magical.

“The industry has taken much greater strides than anyone ever imagined 40 years ago,”
Rattner said. “There is speculation that we may be approaching an inflection point where the
rate of technology advancements is accelerating at an exponential rate, and machines could
even overtake humans in their ability to reason, in the not so distant future.”

The concept of modular robots is not new, but with ‘claytronics,’ a form of ‘programmable
matter,’ it is pushed to a new extreme. It will take billions of micron-scale ‘claytronic atoms’
or ‘catoms’ to create computer generated artifacts as if they were the real thing, such as a
self-assembling synthetic doctor coming to your house via Internet — and controlled by the
real one living miles away. Or you can imagine several colleagues from around the world
appearing magically in your local meeting room, as reports CIO Magazine. But don’t
dream too fast! This kind of technology, developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU),
which plans to reproduce moving 3D objects in the real world, shouldn’t be available before
twenty years.

Programmable Matter

"Claytronics" is an emerging field of engineering concerning reconfigurable nanoscale

robots ('claytronic atoms', or catoms) designed to form much larger scale machines or
mechanisms. Also known as "programmable matter", the catoms will be sub-millimeter
computers that will eventually have the ability to move around, communicate with other
computers, change color, and electrostatically connect to other catoms to form different
shapes. The forms made up of catoms could morph into nearly any object, even replicas of
human beings for virtual meetings.

Claytronics technology is currently being researched by Professor Seth Goldstein at

Carnegie Mellon University, which is where the term was coined. According to Carnegie
Mellon's Synthetic Reality Project personnel, claytronics are described as "An ensemble of
material that contains sufficient local computation, actuation, storage, energy, sensing, and
communication" which can be programmed to form interesting dynamic shapes and
configurations.
Carnegie Mellon's Seth Goldstein To Demonstrate Claytronics at Prestigious
Intel Developer Forum

Claytronics is a form of programmable matter made up of modules called catoms — for

claytronic atoms — that integrate computing, sensing, actuation and locomotion
mechanisms. These catoms are 44mm in size. The goal is to shrink them to the sub
millimeter level.

PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon Associate Professor of Computer Science Seth Goldstein

will co-present a class, lab and demonstrations of claytronics, the technology underlying
Intel's work in Dynamic Physical Rendering (DPR), at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in
San Francisco, Sept. 26-28. The IDF is described as one of the world's premier technology
events, attracting professionals and companies who are actively promoting new directions in
technology.
Claytronics (www.cs.cmu.edu/~claytronics), conceived by Goldstein and Associate
Computer Science Professor Todd Mowry, director of Intel Research Pittsburgh (IRP), is a
form of programmable matter made up of modules called catoms — for claytronic atoms —
that integrate computing, sensing, actuation and locomotion mechanisms. An ensemble of
claytronics catoms can be programmed to organize itself into the shape of an object and
visually take on its appearance. Goldstein and his team are working to shrink the catoms
(currently 44 mm) to sub millimeter size and develop the software necessary to control
millions of them working together.

Goldstein and his team want to use claytronics to implement a

new communication medium, which they call pario. The idea is
to reproduce moving, physical 3-D objects that, like audio and
video, do not transport the original object or create an exact
replica. Instead, they create a physical replica from the
programmable claytronics catoms that our senses will accept as
being close enough to the real thing in shape and appearance.

Goldstein's co-presenter at IDF is IRP staff member Jason

Campbell. IRP is one of Intel's networks of four university
laboratories established to conduct research in emerging,
important areas of computer science and information technology. Associate Professor of
Computer Science
DPR, the primary example of the Intel research theme Seth Goldstein
"physicality," is part of the company's new research vision called
essential computing. DPR is one of five of the company's exploratory research projects
(www.intel.com/research/exploratory/) that will be showcased at the IDF.

"People come to IDF to get a vision of where Intel is putting its resources and to discover
opportunities to enter new markets," said an Intel spokesman. "Attendees get unmatched
access to senior Intel experts and detailed technical training by Intel and industry experts
who can help them advance their projects."

In addition to support from Intel, Carnegie Mellon's work in claytronics is funded by the
National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA).
Superbots

SuperBot is a new type of robots that are modular, multifunctional, and easily
reconfigurable. Its modules can be dynamically configured into different robots to fit the
user's needs. For example, it can crawl, walk, roll, climb, carry, fetch, or survey. The
reconfiguration and module exchanges are easy and do not require any special knowledge or
training. Such robots are economic because a single robot can provide diverse behaviors and
can be changed frequently. This is ideal for home campanions, search and rescue, security,
surveillance, and so on.
Hitachi unveils 'fastest robot'

Pal and Chum impressed with their chat and fast moves

Japanese electronics firm Hitachi has unveiled its first humanoid

robot, called Emiew, to challenge Honda's Asimo and Sony's Qrio
robots.

Hitachi said the 1.3m (4.2ft) Emiew was the world's quickest-moving robot yet at
6km/h (3.7 miles per hour).

Two wheel-based Emiews, Pal and Chum, introduced themselves to reporters at a press
conference in Japan.

They will be guests at this month's World Expo. Sony and Honda have both built robots
to showcase engineering.

Explaining why Hitachi's Emiew used wheels instead of feet, Toshihiko Horiuchi, from
Hitachi's Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory, said: "We aimed to create a
robot that could live and co-exist with people."

"We want to make the robots useful for people ... If the robots moved slower than
people, users would be frustrated."

Emiew - Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existence as Workmate - can move at 6km/h
(3.7 miles per hour) on its "wheel feet", which resemble the bottom half of a Segway
scooter.

With sensors on the head, waist, and near the wheels, Pal and Chum demonstrated how
they could react to commands.

"I want to be able to walk about in places like Shinjuku and Shibuya [shopping districts]
in the future without bumping into people and cars," Pal told reporters.

Hitachi said Pal and Chum, which have a vocabulary of about 100 words, could be
"trained" for practical office and factory use in as little as five to six years.
Big bot battle

Robotics researchers have long been challenged by developing robots that walk in the
gait of a human.

At the recent AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) annual
meeting in Washington DC, researchers showed off
bipedal designs.

The three designs, each built by a different research

group, use the same principle to achieve a human-like
gait.

Sony and Honda have both used humanoid robots, which

are not commercially available, as a way of showing off
computing power and engineering expertise.
Toyota, Honda, and Sony, all try to out-
do each other with robots
Honda's Asimo was "born" five years ago. Since then,
Honda and Sony's Qrio have tried to trump each other with what the robots can do at
various technology events.

Asimo has visited the UK, Germany, the Czech Republic, France and Ireland as part of a
world tour.

Sony's Qrio has been singing, jogging and dancing in formation around the world too
and was, until last year, the fastest robot on two legs.

But its record was beaten by Asimo. It is capable of 3km/h, which its makers claim is
almost four times as fast as Qrio.

Last year, car maker Toyota also stepped into the ring and unveiled its trumpet-playing
humanoid robot.

By 2007, it is predicted that there will be almost 2.5 million "entertainment and leisure"
robots in homes, compared to about 137,000 currently, according to the United Nations
(UN).

By the end of that year, 4.1 million robots will be doing jobs in homes, said a report by
the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the International Federation of Robotics.

Hitachi is one of the companies already with home cleaning robot machines on the
market.
Icona5
SPECIFICATIONS
­ Seats: 2
­ Maximum Takeoff Weight: 1430 lbs
­ Useful Load: 430 ­ 530 lbs (option dependent)
­ Baggage: 60 lbs (maximum)
­ Fuel (Auto Gas or Av Gas): 20 gal.
­ Maximum Speed (Vh): 105 kts (120 mph)
­ Range: 300 nm
­ Takeoff & Landing Distance: 750 ft
­ Engine (Rotax 912 ULS): 100 hp

Performance specifications are estimates only.

DIMENSIONS
­ Interior Cockpit Width: 46 in
­ Wing Span: 34 ft
­ Aircraft Length: 22 ft
­ Aircraft Height: 7.1 ft
­ Trailered Width: 8.5 ft
­ Trailered Length: 28 ft
­ Trailered Height: 8.3 ft

_DESIGN FEATURES
­ Folding wings (manual or automatic)
­ Retractable Landing Gear (gear can be deleted entirely to make a pure seaplane)
­ Seawing platforms for easy access and docking
­ Custom aircraft towing trailer (optional)
­ Headlights and flood lights

PERFORMANCE FEATURES
­ High­strength, lightweight carbon fiber airframe
­ Amphibious design (flies off land and water)
­ High­performance wing and airfoil
­ Reliable 100­hp Rotax 912 ULS Engine
­ Runs on auto gasoline or aviation gasoline

COCKPIT FEATURES
­ Intuitive, sports car­like cockpit
­ GPS moving map
­ MP3 in­flight music port
­ High­visibility, wrap­around canopy
­ Flight with removable side windows
­ Multiple storage compartments
­ Glass (LCD) multifunction display optional

SAFETY FEATURES
­ Predictable flying characteristics
­ Low stall speed
­ ICON Complete Airplane Parachute (optional)
­ Patent­pending propeller guard
­ Wing Angle of Attack Indicator (AoA)

STANDARD EQUIPMENT
­ Retractable landing gear
­ Folding wings (manual)
­ GPS moving map
­ Analog flight instrumentation (per ASTM LSA standards)