[Podcast] Vietnamese Standardized Humanoid Robot: Breakthrough in Design and Manufacturing Based on Anthropometry

23 November, 2024

Keywords: Anthropometry; Humanoid robot; Artificial intelligence; Smart robot head;

Robots are becoming more popular and have diverse applications in daily life to serve people. In Vietnam, there have been many efforts to develop humanoid robots; on the oether hand, most of them only focus on a specific aspect, not meeting the needs of human interaction. Therefore, the author of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) carried out the project “Research, design, and manufacture of robot heads based on anthropometry of the Vietnamese people”. The robot designs are suggested for various applications from life, medicine, education.

In the context of rapid technological development, robots are not only supporting tools in industry but have gradually become companions in many areas of life, from medicine and education to entertainment and health care. With the development of artificial intelligence and advanced control systems, robots, today, are not only expected to be able to perform simple tasks but also to demonstrate sensitive and friendly interactions with humans. To achieve this, the design of robot parts, especially the robot head – the part that plays a decisive role in communication and recognition – needs to be carried out according to the specific anthropometric standards of each user group.

The application of anthropometrics in robot design is not only to create products with a similar shape to humans but also to ensure that these robots can operate effectively in environments that require high interaction listed as health care, education, and customer service. When robots are designed based on anthropometric data, they can achieve aesthetics and improve compatibility and communication efficiency with humans, helping these devices better perform their role of supporting and serving humans. In particular, in areas such as healthcare and education, where the interaction between robots and users requires sensitivity and precision, designing a robot head according to Vietnamese anthropometric standards is essential. This helps robots recognize and respond to non-verbal signals listed as eye contact and facial expressions accurately and creates a sense of closeness and friendliness to help users feel more comfortable and natural when interacting with these devices. With these goals, the UEH author has researched and developed a robot head based on Vietnamese anthropometric data. This topic is urgent in the current context, which opens up great opportunities for applying robot technology to life, improving the quality of services and improving user experience. In addition, the research aims to optimize robot products to serve domestic needs and to contribute to the globalization trend, in which high-tech devices are increasingly personalized to better meet the needs of different user communities. In the process of designing and manufacturing robot heads based on anthropometrics, measurements and landmarks on Vietnamese people’ face and head play an extremely important role. Measurements listed as length, width of the face, distance between the eyes, height from forehead to chin, and jaw angles are used to create an accurate model that matches the actual proportions of Vietnamese people. These landmarks help shape the external structure of the robot head and ensure compatibility when integrating facial recognition and eye contact systems. Relying on specific measurements and landmarks according to traditional medicine standards, this helps robots interact more naturally with humans, increasing efficiency in applications that require direct communication such as virtual assistants, education, and healthcare. This research focuses on the design and fabrication of a robot head based on the anthropometric characteristics of Vietnamese people, aiming to create a product that can interact naturally and effectively with users. First, anthropometric factors listed as facial size, head proportion, and related morphological characteristics are surveyed and analyzed, forming the basis for the design of the robot head. The goal is to ensure that the robot has a friendly appearance and is also capable of performing important interactions listed as eye contact and facial recognition with high accuracy. Anthropometric data was built and 3D simulation tools were used to develop a robot head model, and the necessary sensors were integrated to track movements and to recognize the face of the person opposite. This design was realized through manufacturing using 3D printing and CNC machining technology, ensuring high precision and quality for the product. The assembly process of mechanical and electronic components was meticulously carried out, allowing the robot head to perform sophisticated and natural movements in real-life interactive situations.

The Vietnamese anthropometric robot head marks a significant advance in the field of humanoid robotics and artificial intelligence. In this modern time, humanoid robots have become a familiar part of life and the development of technology has allowed us to go further in designing and developing robots that can interact with humans naturally. The design of a Vietnamese anthropometric robot head is an important step towards creating robots with a human-like appearance and expression. This is of great significance in creating an intuitive and emotional interface for human-robot interactions. The research on the anthropometrics and facial features of Vietnamese people has contributed significantly to the construction of expressive robots. Surveys on the anthropometrics of Vietnamese people have been conducted, which is a great contribution to this project with applications for robot design, and the design of protective equipment for Vietnamese people. In this project, a humanoid robot is proposed with the ability to express human emotions with the appearance of Vietnamese people. It can be affirmed that the head robot designed based on the anthropometry of Vietnamese people is a sophisticated combination of science and technology to create a robot that can express and interact with humans naturally. This research has laid the foundation for the development of robotics technology in Vietnam and provided a model project for creating intelligent and flexible robots with human-like expressions. During the design process, several important factors of anthropometry were considered including the structure of the eyes, mouth, and neck of Vietnamese people. Ensuring that the robot has enough degrees of freedom to simulate human movements has been a big challenge. However, the results of the research have proven that this is completely possible. The head robot based on the anthropometry of Vietnamese people has achieved success in reproducing human expressions and movements. This opens up opportunities for applications in many fields, including education, healthcare, and industry. In addition, this research has contributed to the global development of robotics and affirmed Vietnam’s position in the international science and technology community.

Figure 1. A manufactured humanoid robot

The full-text article Research, design, and manufacture of a robot head based on Vietnamese anthropometry can be found HERE.

Authors: Dr. Nguyen Minh Trieu, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Truong Thinh, Dr. Dang Tri Dung – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City.

This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from UEH with the message “Research Contribution For All”. UEH respectfully invites readers to read the next UEH Research Insights newsletter.

News, photos: Authors, UEH Department of Communications and Partnership