0:00:01.944,0:00:05.665
As a roboticist,[br]I get asked a lot of questions.

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"When we will they start[br]serving me breakfast?"

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So I thought the future of robotics[br]would be looking more like us.

0:00:16.114,0:00:17.788
I thought they would look like me,

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so I built eyes[br]that would simulate my eyes.

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I built fingers that are dextrous[br]enough to serve me ...

0:00:27.893,0:00:29.083
baseballs.

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Classical robots like this

0:00:33.878,0:00:37.054
are built and become functional

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based on the fixed number[br]of joints and actuators.

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And this means their functionality[br]and shape are already fixed

0:00:45.139,0:00:46.970
at the moment of their conception.

0:00:47.490,0:00:50.357
So even though this arm[br]has a really nice throw --

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it even hit the tripod at the end--

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it's not meant for cooking you[br]breakfast per se.

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It's not really suited for scrambled eggs.

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So this was when I was hit[br]by a new vision of future robotics:

0:01:06.101,0:01:07.861
the transformers.

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They drive, they run, they fly,

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all depending on the ever-changing,[br]new environment and task at hand.

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To make this a reality,

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you really have to rethink[br]how robots are designed.

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So, imagine a robotic module[br]in a polygon shape

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and using that simple polygon shape

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to reconstruct multiple different forms

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to create a new form of robot[br]for different tasks.

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In CG, computer graphics,[br]it's not any news --

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it's been done for a while, and that's how[br]most of the movies are made.

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But if you're trying to make a robot[br]that's physically moving,

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it's a completely new story.

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It's a completely new paradigm.

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But you've all done this.

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Who hasn't made a paper airplane,[br]paper boat, paper crane?

0:02:03.893,0:02:07.737
Origami is a versatile[br]platform for designers.

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From a single sheet of paper,[br]you can make multiple shapes,

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and if you don't like it,[br]you unfold and fold back again.

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Any 3D form can be made[br]from 2D surfaces by folding,

0:02:21.987,0:02:24.516
and this is proven mathematically.

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And imagine if you were to have[br]an intelligent sheet

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that can self-fold into any form it wants,

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anytime.

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And that's what I've been working on.

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I call this robotic origami,

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"robogami."

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This is our first robogami transformation

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that was made by me about 10 years ago.

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From a flat-sheeted robot,

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it turns into a pyramid[br]and back into a flat sheet

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and into a space shuttle.

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Quite cute.

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Ten years later, with my group[br]of ninja origami robotic researchers --

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about 22 of them right now --

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we have a new generation of robogamis,

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and they're a little more effective[br]and they do more than that.

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So the new generation of robogamis[br]actually serve a purpose.

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For example, this one actually navigates[br]through different terrains autonomously.

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So when it's a dry[br]and flat land, it crawls.

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And if it meets sudden rough terrain,

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it starts rolling.

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It does this -- it's the same robot --

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but depending on which terrain it meets,

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it activates a different sequence[br]of actuators that's on board.

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And once it meets an obstacle,[br]it jumps over it.

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It does this by storing energy[br]in each of its legs

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and releasing it and catapulting[br]like a slingshot.

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And it even does gymnastics.

0:04:05.688,0:04:06.859
Yay.

0:04:06.883,0:04:08.320
(Laughter)

0:04:08.828,0:04:13.005
So I just showed you[br]what a single robogami can do.

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Imagine what they can do as a group.

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They can join forces to tackle[br]more complex tasks.

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Each module, either active or passive,

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we can assemble them[br]to create different shapes.

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Not only that, by controlling[br]the folding joints,

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we're able to create and attack[br]different tasks.

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The form is making new task space.

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And this time, what's most[br]important is the assembly.

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They need to autonomously[br]find each other in a different space,

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attach and detach, depending on[br]the environment and task.

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And we can do this now.

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So what's next?

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Our imagination.

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This is a simulation[br]of what you can achieve

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with this type of module.

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We decided that we were going[br]to have a four-legged crawler

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turn into a little dog[br]and make small gaits.

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With the same module, we can actually[br]make it do something else:

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a manipulator, a typical,[br]classical robotic task.

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So with a manipulator,[br]it can pick up an object.

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Of course, you can add more modules[br]to make the manipulator legs longer

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to attack or pick up objects[br]that are bigger or smaller,

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or even have a third arm.

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For robogamis, there's no[br]one fixed shape nor task.

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They can transform into anything,[br]anywhere, anytime.

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So how do you make them?

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The biggest technical challenge[br]of robogami is keeping them super thin,

0:05:50.449,0:05:51.600
flexible,

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but still remaining functional.

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They're composed of multiple layers[br]of circuits, motors,

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microcontrollers and sensors,

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all in the single body,

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and when you control[br]individual folding joints,

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you'll be able to achieve[br]soft motions like that

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upon your command.

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Instead of being a single robot that is[br]specifically made for a single task,

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robogamis are optimized to do multi-tasks.

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And this is quite important

0:06:25.147,0:06:28.978
for the difficult and unique[br]environments on the Earth

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as well as in space.

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Space is a perfect[br]environment for robogamis.

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You cannot afford to have[br]one robot for one task.

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Who knows how many tasks[br]you will encounter in space?

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What you want is a single robotic platform[br]that can transform to do multi-tasks.

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What we want is a deck[br]of thin robogami modules

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that can transform to do multiples[br]of performing tasks.

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And don't take my word for it,

0:07:09.556,0:07:12.592
because the European Space Agency[br]and Swiss Space Center

0:07:12.616,0:07:14.876
are sponsoring this exact concept.

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So here you see a couple of images[br]of reconfiguration of robogamis,

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exploring the foreign land[br]aboveground, on the surface,

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as well as digging into the surface.

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It's not just exploration.

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For astronauts, they need additional help,

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because you cannot afford[br]to bring interns up there, either.

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(Laughter)

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They have to do every tedious task.

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They may be simple,

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but super interactive.

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So you need robots[br]to facilitate their experiments,

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assisting them with the communications

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and just docking onto surfaces to be[br]their third arm holding different tools.

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But how will they be able[br]to control robogamis, for example,

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outside the space station?

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In this case, I show a robogami[br]that is holding space debris.

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You can work with your vision[br]so that you can control them,

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but what would be better[br]is having the sensation of touch

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directly transported onto[br]the hands of the astronauts.

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And what you need is a haptic device,

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a haptic interface that recreates[br]the sensation of touch.

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And using robogamis, we can do this.

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This is the world's[br]smallest haptic interface

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that can recreate a sensation of touch[br]just underneath your fingertip.

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We do this by moving the robogami

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by microscopic and macroscopic[br]movements at the stage.

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And by having this, not only[br]will you be able to feel

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how big the object is,

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the roundness and the lines,

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but also the stiffness and the texture.

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Alex has this interface[br]just underneath his thumb,

0:09:03.032,0:09:07.844
and if he were to use this[br]with VR goggles and hand controllers,

0:09:07.868,0:09:11.497
now the virtual reality[br]is no longer virtual.

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It becomes a tangible reality.

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The blue ball, red ball[br]and black ball that he's looking at

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is no longer differentiated by colors.

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Now it is a rubber blue ball,[br]sponge red ball and billiard black ball.

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This is now possible.

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Let me show you.

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This is really the first time[br]this is shown live

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in front of a public grand audience,

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so hopefully this works.

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So what you see here[br]is an atlas of anatomy

0:09:47.993,0:09:50.786
and the robogami haptic interface.

0:09:50.810,0:09:53.355
So, like all the other[br]reconfigurable robots,

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it multitasks.

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Not only is it going to serve as a mouse,

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but also a haptic interface.

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So for example, we have a white background[br]where there is no object.

0:10:03.179,0:10:05.231
That means there is nothing to feel,

0:10:05.255,0:10:08.967
so we can have a very,[br]very flexible interface.

0:10:09.352,0:10:12.504
Now, I use this as a mouse[br]to approach skin,

0:10:12.528,0:10:13.791
a muscular arm,

0:10:13.815,0:10:15.831
so now let's feel his biceps,

0:10:15.855,0:10:17.343
or shoulders.

0:10:17.367,0:10:20.377
So now you see[br]how much stiffer it becomes.

0:10:20.401,0:10:21.772
Let's explore even more.

0:10:21.796,0:10:24.706
Let's approach the ribcage.

0:10:24.730,0:10:27.292
And as soon as I move[br]on top of the ribcage

0:10:27.316,0:10:29.601
and between the intercostal muscles,

0:10:29.625,0:10:31.174
which is softer and harder,

0:10:31.198,0:10:33.434
I can feel the difference[br]of the stiffness.

0:10:33.458,0:10:34.784
Take my word for it.

0:10:34.808,0:10:39.011
So now you see, it's much stiffer[br]in terms of the force

0:10:39.035,0:10:40.880
it's giving back to my fingertip.

0:10:41.822,0:10:45.800
So I showed you the surfaces[br]that aren't moving.

0:10:45.824,0:10:49.377
How about if I were to approach[br]something that moves,

0:10:49.401,0:10:51.468
for example, like a beating heart?

0:10:51.492,0:10:52.887
What would I feel?

0:10:59.573,0:11:05.719
(Applause)

0:11:07.158,0:11:09.451
This can be your beating heart.

0:11:10.010,0:11:13.620
This can actually be inside your pocket

0:11:13.644,0:11:15.409
while you're shopping online.

0:11:16.361,0:11:20.150
Now you'll be able to feel the difference[br]of the sweater that you're buying,

0:11:20.174,0:11:21.396
how soft it is,

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if it's actually cashmere or not,

0:11:24.280,0:11:26.336
or the bagel that you're trying to buy,

0:11:26.360,0:11:29.428
how hard it is or how crispy it is.

0:11:30.229,0:11:31.965
This is now possible.

0:11:34.774,0:11:40.586
The robotics technology is advancing[br]to be more personalized and adaptive,

0:11:40.610,0:11:43.714
to adapt to our everyday needs.

0:11:44.457,0:11:48.082
This unique specie[br]of reconfigurable robotics

0:11:48.106,0:11:54.084
is actually the platform to provide[br]this invisible, intuitive interface

0:11:54.108,0:11:56.600
to meet our exact needs.

0:11:58.169,0:12:02.175
These robots will no longer look like[br]the characters from the movies.

0:12:02.843,0:12:06.691
Instead, they will be whatever[br]you want them to be.

0:12:07.223,0:12:08.429
Thank you.

0:12:08.453,0:12:12.051
(Applause)