Kurt Verlin
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Toyota’s Home Robots Are Getting Smarter

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Toyota Research Institute Robot Grabbing a Glass
Photo: Toyota

When people talk about intelligent robots taking over the world, they probably have companies like Google or Apple in mind, not Toyota. But the automaker is one of the top innovators in the AI space and now, its research institute has unveiled one of its cleverest robots yet.

The robot, which doesn’t have a name, is capable of recognizing and responding to reflective and transparent surfaces in a variety of situations. According to the automaker, most other robots are easily confused by items like transparent cups, glass tables, and shiny toasters.


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“To overcome this, TRI roboticists developed a novel training method to perceive the 3D geometry of the scene while also detecting objects and surfaces,” said Max Bajracharya, vice president of robotics at the Toyota Research Institute.  “This combination enables researchers to use large amounts of synthetic data to train the system.”

Last month, TRI released a video of the robot performing various tasks, such as wiping a table clean while carefully removing objects like glass cups that are in the way. The robot did this while holding a camera on a selfie stick and recording itself.


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If you’re wondering why Toyota is making robots that can wipe tables, you may be surprised to learn this is not a new development. The Japanese company has long been devoted to its global slogan — “mobility for all” — which includes creating technologies that can help individuals with compromised mobility.

“Our goal is to build robotic capabilities that amplify, not replace, human abilities,” explains Bajracharya, vice president of robotics at TRI. “Training robots to understand how to operate in home environments poses special challenges because of the diversity and complexity of our homes where small tasks can add up to big challenges.”