Robot Taekwon V to become reality... Seoul National

University's avatar robot 'Goblin' eyes

Professor Jae-Heung Park’s team at Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology exhibits humanoid robots and performs
rescue operations at disaster sites that cannot be reached

The 1st floor of the Venetian Expo 'CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2022', the world's largest information and communication technology (ICT) and home appliance exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA on the 5th (local time). A red robot wearing a Santa Claus hat is busily moving in this place where startups from all over the world gather. The robot's name is 'Goblin'. It is a humanoid (humanoid) robot made by Seoul National University's Diros Lab.

Daeros Lab is a place where Seoul National University Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology Professor Jaeheung Park and master's and doctoral students study dynamic robot systems. It mainly deals with humanoid design, unmanned vehicle systems, and medical rehabilitation robots. Professor Park said, “I am researching robots that perform rescue tasks or disaster sites that humans cannot go to, and parking technology for autonomous vehicles.”

The goblin created by the Dairos Lab is a remote-controlled robot that mimics human movements. The name "Goblin" means 'helping people in unseen places'. Robots like goblin are called 'avatar robots'. It is a concept similar to Robot Taekwon V (84 Taekwon V), which fights enemies by mimicking the movements of the passengers.

The Dairos Lab is providing an opportunity to experience the goblin for CES visitors. Anyone can use the goblin with a simple explanation. If you wear goggles, headphones, and gloves with sensors connected to the camera and move, the goblin will follow. The touch sensor on the glove is made so that the goblin can feel the touch of an object. I tried goggles and gloves. I felt like a real goblin robot. All fingers moved naturally, and external sounds and screens came to life. I am confident that I can put it into the disaster scene right now.

Professor Park selected 'flexible movement' as the core technology of the goblin. Most of the avatar robots that are being studied around the world are being used in industrial fields, but their movements are rough and stiff. Even though it is a robot created to help people, screens are installed to prevent people from approaching for safety. On the other hand, Dokkaebi has smooth movements, and the connection between them is natural. Professor Park said, “Robots that come in close contact with humans need flexible movements for safety.

Dokkaebi is currently participating in the ANA Avatar X Prize competition sponsored by ANA, Japan's largest airline, and has secured a place in the finals. The X Prize is a competition that competes for the visual, tactile, and auditory immersion of the avatar robot through various scenario tasks such as puzzle games and business meetings.

Meanwhile, the Dairos Lab is preparing to start a business together with Goblin as well as a wearable medical rehabilitation robot, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) robot, and a motion capture system. Professor Park said, “Starting with the CPR robot next year, we are preparing to start a business in the order of medical rehabilitation and avatar (goblin) robots. The focus is on localization and remote control.”