Watch out Lionel Messi. ARTEMIS is here. At 1.42 centimeters and weighing 38 kilograms, ARTEMIS is a first-of-its-kind robot that mechanical engineers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) developed and is ready for the field. Using state-of-the-art technology, ARTEMIS, which stands for Advanced Robotic Technology for Enhanced Mobility and Stability, can maintain its balance against heavy impacts, withstand objects thrown at it and is able to run . But what sets ARTEMIS on top of this is its ability to hit a ball.
"If your robot can't even play a game of soccer, how could you use these robots for more important things like saving people's lives?" said Dennis Hong, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. , as well as director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) at UCLA, which developed ARTEMIS.
Technologies used for soccer-playing robots are also being used for other applications such as firefighting and disaster relief, Hong said. While ARTEMIS may not be at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Hong's team will reveal its full soccer capabilities at the RoboCup tournament held in Bordeaux, France, in July. The robot's main innovation is that engineers custom-designed its actuators—devices that generate movement from energy—to behave like biological muscles. They are springy and force-controlled, rather than the rigid, position-controlled actuators that most robots have. ARTEMIS actuators are also unique in that they are electrically driven, rather than hydraulically controlled. This means it's quieter and runs more efficiently, while also being cleaner, because hydraulic systems are notorious for leaking fluids. RoMeLa student Justin Quan said his personal goal is to create engineering robots that improve people's lives.
"Seeing these robots help push robot technology to the next level is really rewarding," he said.
