The School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University has built Singapore’s most sophisticated full-scale robot.  Originally called LOCH (LOw Cost Humanoid), NASH has been in development since 2008, though we only recently came across it.  Professor Ming Xie has even created a corporate spin-off to market the technologies.  The university’s robotics research program has more than 40 full-time researchers and competes as TeamNanYang at RoboCup with 10 NAOs.

NASH stands 175cm (5’8″) tall, weighs 80kg (176 lbs), and possesses around 40 degrees of freedom (neck x2, 2 arms x6, 2 hands x4, waist x2, 2 legs x6, 2 feet x1).  It is equipped with a slew of sensors, including a 3-axis gyro / accelerometer in its trunk, three microphones, 6-axis force-torque sensors in its wrists and ankles, pressure sensors in the hands’ palms and fingers, and 6 pressure sensors in the sole of each foot.  Its head contains a unique set-up including a monocular camera, stereo cameras, a distance sensor, and a laser range finder.

It’s able to walk adaptively and turn on a flat floor, ascend and descend stairs, and maintain its balance against external forces.

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NASH is not Singapore’s first full-scale bipedal robot.  Singapore Polytechnic’s Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Control Centre (ARICC) built Robo-Erectus Senior to compete in RoboCup’s Adult Size League in 2007 (it was 140cm [4'7"] tall), and the National University of Singapore is working on one as well.

[source: Humanoid Robotics International]

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Nanyang Technological University | Humanoid Robotics International