Telenoid R1

Key takeaways

Telenoid R1 belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Telenoid R1 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Telenoid R1 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Telenoid R1 is a remote-controlled telepresence android created by Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro. The R1 model, released in August 2010, is approximately 80 cm tall, weighs 5 kg and is made out of silicone rubber. The primary usage of the Telenoid R1 is an audio and movement transmitter through which people can relay messages over long distances. The purpose is for the user to feel as though they are communicating with a far-away acquaintance. Cameras and microphones capture the voice and movements of an operator which are projected through the Telenoid R1 to the user.

Features

The Telenoid R1, unlike its counterparts the Geminoid HI-1 and Geminoid F, is designed to be an ambiguous figure, able to be recognized as any gender and any age. The Telenoid R1 has a minimalistic design; it is roughly the size of an infant with a bald head, a doll-like face, and automated stubs instead of arms. It contains 9 actuators which allows the R1 to have 9 degrees of freedom. Each eye can move horizontally independent from each other, but their vertical movement is synced. The mouth is able to open and close to emulate talking. The 3 actuators in the neck provide yaw, pitch, and roll rotations for the neck. The final two actuators are used for motion in the arms. A webcam or other video capturing device can record a person's movements and voice and send them to the R1 using Wi-Fi connection. Some movements and expressions are pre-programmed into the Telenoid R1. Some of these controllable behaviors are saying bye, being happy, and motioning for a hug. Other actions are random such was breathing and blinking which gives the R1 a sense of being "alive."

Uses The R1's main use is being an advanced video conferencing tool. The Telenoid is able to interact with the owner as if it was the person sending the message. Researchers shared that they hope the Telenoid R1 will be used mainly as a communication device that can be applied to work, education, and elderly care.

Work communication Employees who are unable to go into work can use the Telenoid R1 to give their input into a conversation or meeting. Furthermore, entire meetings can be held through Telenoids so that workers never even have to leave their homes.

Education One education application for the robot is teaching a language. Audio lessons can be programmed into the Telenoid R1 and used to teach people who would find it easier to learn from a human-like being rather than an audio tape.

Elderly care Elderly citizens in care homes are able to use the Telenoid R1 to communicate with family who are not able to visit them personally. Research has shown that elderly people have reacted positively to interactions with the Telenoid R1. In experiments with the R1, the elderly have given feedback such as "very cute, like my grandchild" and "very soft and nice to touch."

Cost The Telenoid R1 uses DC motors as actuators and because of its smaller body, only uses 9. This helped to reduce the development and production costs for the automaton. A version of the robot used for research costs about $35,000 while a commercial version costs about $8,000.

Previous models

Geminoid HI-1

Hiroshi Ishiguro created an automaton with looks that reflect his own, the Geminoid HI-1. The materials for this robot include Ishiguro's own hair along with silicone rubber, pneumatic actuators, and various electronic parts. The purpose for the HI-1 is to mimic the actions of a human. It cannot move by itself, but is instead remotely operated by Ishiguro. Ishiguro's voice is captured by a microphone while his facial movements are recorded by a camera. The HI-1 is able to imitate the actions made by the operator. When asked the purpose of a human-like robot, Ishiguro replied with "my research question is to know what is human." Ishiguro hopes to use the HI-1 as a way to decipher the feeling of being in the presence of a human being.

Geminoid F Another of Hiroshi Ishiguro's creations is the Geminoid F, a female android modeled after a woman in her twenties. The Geminoid F can show facial expressions, such as smiling or frowning, in a more natural looking way than Ishiguro's previous androids. This Geminoid is also controlled remotely by cameras with face-tracking software. The goal in making the Geminoid F was to create a robot that can display a wide range of facial expressions using fewer actuators than earlier models. While the Geminoid HI-1 has 50 actuators, the Geminoid F only has 12. Instead of filling a large external box with compressors and valves, as seen in the HI-1, the researchers implemented these parts into the body of the Geminoid F, so it requires only a small external compressor. Researchers hope that the Geminoid F has a more friendly face that people are more eager to interact with. Geminoid F co-starred in the 2015 Japanese film Sayonara, promoted as "the first movie to feature an android performing opposite a human actor".

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Telenoid R1

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Telenoid R1 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Telenoid R1 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Telenoid R1 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Telenoid R1

In research: Telenoid R1 appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Telenoid R1 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Telenoid R1 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2010 robots, Androids, Robots of Japan, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Telenoid R1 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Telenoid R1 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Telenoid R1 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Telenoid R1 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Telenoid R1 in simple terms?

The Telenoid R1 is a remote-controlled telepresence android created by Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro. The R1 model, released in August 2010, is approximately 80 cm tall, weighs 5 kg and is made out of silicone rubber.

Why does Telenoid R1 matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Telenoid R1?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Telenoid R1.